Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge
by Straying Life
Summary: Vlad has returned with a vengeance. And he’s after, whom else, Danny. But he’s going in subtly. And the only way he’s doing that is doing damage—real damage—to his friends and helping his enemies. And this time, there’s now way out of it. COMPLETE
1. Helena

Hey there! I just spent the day off (other than reading reviews and crap like that) working on the Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge cover. Now, this story is very serious, and lyrics will be posted in a separate section at the end of each chapter, not inserted, because I find that not as serious. Like this chapter is Helena, the first song on the CD. So, this chapter will be based off of Helena, with its lyrics at the bottom. The second title, the non-CD title, is K i l ling Without A Clue. Full title? Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge/K i l ling Without A Clue.

Jesus, the cover is freaking good! As a preview, it has Sam, Tucker, Danny, Valerie, and Vlad on it. All hand-drawn by me, so it's not copy and pasted from the web, which is why it took so long. I grabbed the bodies (bases) from Bobby of Bunnystick (bunnystick . com) and Jaeden of Autumn Pixels (autumnpixels . com). But Bobby's bases are simply shaded, so I had to reshade them (except for Danny), THEN start on them. Under each character is a quote, like an interview quote or what another character is saying to them. But that only applies to Sam. AWESOME COVER! I won't reveal it until later, though. Only VERY dedicated readers get a preview. You know who you are. Sorry, it's a little treat for the people who actually bother to critique me (or lack thereof) on most of my recent stories. THEY DESERVE A TREAT!

DISCLAIMER: don't own My Chemical Romance or DP. And just now did I realize why this CD is rated for Explicit Content. Because of what goes on if you think too deeply about it! Don't worry, not enough to be R…I've seen bloodier movies than what goes on here and it was PG-13.

SUMMARY: Vlad has returned with a vengeance. And he's after, whom else, Danny. But he's not going in headfirst. He's going in subtly. And the only way he's doing that is doing damage—real damage—to his friends and helping his enemies. And this time, there's now way out of it.

RATING: T+ for mature themes, murder, language (or as best as I can do it on my computer without it being blocked), and gore. I know, it's a lot, but that's why it's T+. It's not really murder, though, and not much gore.

Chapter 1

"Helena"

Eighteen-year-old Tucker Foley drove his brand new Nissan out of the driveway, admiring the black leather interior, the controls, and everything in between. What a birthday gift! The best ever! Tucker adjusted the mirror, so his red beret was just in view. He wasn't sure if that was exactly right, but it worked for him on his driving test. He focused his green-blue eyes on the road and arms covered in a yellow sweater gripped the wheel. His leg, hidden in green cargo pants and silver sneakers, pressed down on the pedal and the car sped forward.

"Okay, now, we go pick up Sam," he murmured. He followed the road he memorized onto the highway. Since he had moved away, it was hard to keep in touch, and this was one of the few days he could go and visit Amity Park to see Sam and Danny, his two best friends.

Tucker let out a small chuckle; after all these years, Sam and Danny had his back, even when he had to keep Danny's back. Danny and Sam had his back when he was pretty sure he didn't have Danny's. Meaning, Danny and Sam always covered for him when his impulse to talk and let out secrets came around and almost blurted out the biggest secret of the 21st century.

He neared the correct exit. Switching into the next lane over, since drivers here were crazy about speed, he waited until a good opening for the last lane, on the right.

But the driver in front of him apparently wasn't that keen on speed. The driver in front of him—license plate "RVNGE"—would speed up and then stop abruptly and continue slowly as if nothing happened. Then all over again. Unfortunately, Tucker hadn't noticed it, so he went in when the car was going quickly.

"Ha!" said the person in the car. "It's a damn good thing I made sure the tank is weak! Gas will leak out and combine with the flammable items in the car and BOOM! Bye-bye Tucker!" The person laughed maliciously. "OOH, here he comes!" The person jammed the brake and immediately turned intangible and flew out.

"Hey!" said Tucker as the car stopped to an abrupt halt. The head in there of silver hair in a ponytail disappeared. "VLAD!" he yelled, but the cars connected. As promised, the gas tank in Vlad's car broke and the gas sloshed in the car, washing over the flammable car parts. Flames licked the car for a split second before the cars erupted. Tucker couldn't get out of it.

Luckily, someone had a cell phone on them and stopped on the side of the road and called 911.

"We've got an injured person here! Get here stat, a huge explosion in a car collision!" the person said shakily. Cars stopped at the wreck and the person could get to Tucker.

"Oh my God, Tucker!" said the person, brushing her red hair out of the way.

"J-Jazz…" he murmured. He shut his eyes as Jazz leaned forward. She pressed her ear against his chest. A very slow heartbeat came; Jazz nearly gave up and was about to claim him dead when she finally heard a beat. She got back up, b l o o d on her head now, raggedly breathing. She peered over the boy. He was covered in b l o o d, particularly on the face and arms. His legs had deep gashes in them, b l o o d spurting out like water, his chest had a huge burn and his shirt was ripping apart to show his dark chest covered in burns and open wounds. His left cheek had b l o o d trickling out of it.

The sirens came at long last. Jazz stood there, shaking as if it were her little brother on the ground instead of his friend, whimpering, "Tucker…oh my God, Tucker!" The medics carried him onto a stretcher and put him into the ambulance. They caught sight of the pale redhead staring, eyes wide, at the boy, covered in his b l o o d.

"Are you related?" said the medic. What a stupid question! They bore no resemblance at all!

Just as Jazz was about to say no, something different came out. "I'm his half-sister."

"Get on, then." Jazz jumped in and peered over Tucker, now on a stretcher, allowing his b l o o d to spread all over it.

"What will you do?" asked Jazz.

"There's nothing we can do until we get him to the hospital. He's got third degree burns everywhere, glass in his upper body, and the germs from the road are probably seeping into all of his wounds.

"Do you know what happened?" asked the medic.

"In fact, I do," said Jazz shakily.

"Can you tell us? It will help us better to understand the situation."

"Well, I can't tell you exactly, because I was in the far left lane and he was in the far right, but I saw a car—license plate 'RVNGE'—going fast then stopping abruptly and doing it all over again. Tucker probably didn't see this plan and switched into the right lane when the car was going fast. He kept going but the car stopped abruptly and they collided. From what I can tell, the gas tank was weak and the gas got out of the tank and started a fire on the flammable parts. This must have caused an explosion."

"Bright, aren't 'cha?" said the medic with a slight smirk, staring over Tuck. Jazz didn't respond. The ambulance rounded into the emergency section of the hospital. The doors in the back opened up and Tucker was rushed out on the stretcher, medics running, Jazz trailing behind at top speed.

As they all entered a free room, doctors rushed in and began doing work on Tucker. The same medic from before leaned in and checked his heartbeat, now also covered in b l o o d.

"Slow, but working! Put him on the IV!" he shouted, and several more medics got an IV and hooked him up. Another yelled, "B l o o d loss! What's his b l o o d type?" The medic shot a glance at Jazz, as if screaming expectantly, "WELL?"

"I think it's O. Wait, no, it's AB positive!" said Jazz, now shaking with worry; AB positive is a very rare b l o o d type!

"Oh, gosh! What are you?" asked the medic.

"I'm A," said Jazz, tears streaming freely down her face, mingling with the b l o o d encasing her face.

"So? Get AB positive NOW!" yelled another medic. Jazz coughed and sobbed terribly, but was able to calm herself enough to get her cell phone out and call Danny.

"Hello?"

"Danny, it's J-Jazz!" she choked out.

"What happened?" he said soothingly. Her little brother really did make everything better. But not this time. This time, it was him that would need help.

"T-Tucker was on his way to Sam's and—and," Jazz sobbed, barely getting the words out, "cars collided and he was in a huge explosion!"

Danny stayed silent. Jazz couldn't tell what was happening, but Danny's mouth worked furiously to get the words out. A tear fell from his ice blue eyes. "A-Alright. I'll get Sam."

"DANNY!" yelled Jazz before he could hang up.

"Yeah?"

"What b l o o d type are you?"

"A, why?"

"Tucker needs b l o o d, he's AB positive."

"He doesn't want my b l o o d."

"Why?" Jazz already knew the answer. She amazed herself in between the short silence that followed; the both of them had held in their sorrow long enough to make a decent conversation. I think it's the urgency of it, thought Jazz.

"Well, let's just say my b l o o d is mixed with…the paranormal, all right?" said Danny, slightly hesitant.

"Danny, ask Sam about hers. We need b l o o d now. And be sure to stop at Tucker's quickly, they probably have the same b l o o d type." Danny nodded and hung up. In his room, a shattering thought dawned on him.

"No…please, no," he said. His world broke to pieces; if he would die…chances were high, weren't they? Don't think about that! Get the info you need NOW!

It took a little while, but two icy light blue rings covered his torso as the coldness of death took over him. I just hope Tucker doesn't get this feeling anytime soon, thought Danny. He doesn't deserve it; who does? Limp, dry white hair fell into neon green eyes that pierced the hearts and souls of most until it haunted. A black and white jumpsuit showed a humble boy, turning into a man, enough to haunt the living daylights. Luckily, he was used to it, having had this for four years, and jumped up, floating, and flew out his window to get Sam.

Breaking his 112 miles-per-hour record, he went intangible and shot through her window, becoming tangible once more.

"Sam!" he yelled urgently.

"Danny, what is it?" the pale girl called out to him, brushing her shoulder-length black hair out of her face.

"Tucker—he's gotten into a car accident and it exploded!"

"Oh my God, Tucker!" yelled Sam, an unknown emotion on her face. It was something between anger, sorrow, and just plain confusion. But it was enough to show that she really cared.

"Sam, I have an important question. What's your b l o o d type?"

"He's losing b l o o d? Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod! I'm an O, Danny!" she said worriedly.

"Crap! He's an AB positive!"

"AB positive? But only 1 out of 10 people are AB positive!"

"Best check his parents, don't you think?"

"Well, enough chat, let's go!" Sam commanded as Danny picked her up and flew out even faster, suddenly disappearing and reappearing in the Foley household.

"That worked." Danny did his best to mask his emotions; save Tucker now, mope about him later.

Spotting the frightened Foleys, he explained as best he could.

"Your son, Tucker, has been in a very bad car accident. I wish to help him," Danny stated, setting Sam down gently to present the idea he wasn't going to do any harm. "I will not do any harm, I swear on my l—afterlife. I have received information his b l o o d type is AB positive from Daniel Fenton's older sister, Jasmine I believe is her name. He is losing b l o o d fast, we need to get b l o o d fast. Simple? I shall transport you all," said Danny, taking no breath.

Then again, all his involuntary bodily functions—breathing, blinking, so on and so forth—had a much slower reaction as a ghost because he was still half-human, and his needs for such functions were lower like this. He grabbed the Foleys and Sam and transported them to the hospital, once more disappearing and reappearing.

"I shall soon come with the Fenton boy," he said and flew out quickly. He changed back when no one was looking and walked in frantically.

"Is Tucker alive?" he asked.

"Barely," said Jazz, her face streaked with tears and b l o o d. Her knees went weak and she collapsed. Danny walked over as best he could and comforted his sister. Truth be told, he couldn't handle it well either. Jazz found Danny's waist and clung to him, pulling her head to his stomach to use his shirt as a tissue. Danny held on to her shoulders just as tightly; the two kids stood there, sobbing silently, comforting each other with their pain. Even Sam, usually blank, stood there in disbelief, and stared at Tucker, not knowing how to react.

Tucker's parents, clutching each other like canes to keep themselves up, approached him, blinking out tears.

"Ah, you must be the parents," said the medic. "Then…that means that that girl," he said, pointing to Jazz, "isn't his half-sister. No matter, must be a friend. Are either of you AB positive?" Mrs. Foley nodded, but Mr. Foley shook his head.

"Alright, we need your some of your b l o o d until we can get some from Red Cross." Mrs. Foley nodded as the medic took her to another room to get the b l o o d.

Other medics and doctors stayed and continued to examine Tucker's condition and hooked him up to several medical devices.

Danny thought deeply, keeping a tight grip on his sister. How could this happen? Was this some normal mistake? I can't blame Tucker, but still…it's not his fault, and it's not mine, but I feel like it is. I've just held his life in my hands for so long it's a feeling that's stayed with me…and I should have watched out for him! But I couldn't. It's not my fault…so why does everything point to the fact that it is? Maybe if I leave, no one will get to Sam or Jazz or anyone else. It's safer, I won't be chased after. But what if they keep coming back? I'm pretty sure it'll continue in the ghost zone; I'm not that much of a common ghost, you know.

Tucker, he thought. He tried his hardest to communicate with his mind. Although chances of that were low, so were the chances of being half-ghost when he was thirteen. Can you hear me? Are you still alive in there? Have you left your body and left us all on a thread? Or are you still working in that body? Tucker, if you can hear me, I can't be with you, I can't stand right next to you and share your pain. This is the one thing we can't share, and I blame myself for it. It's better if I stay, you understand, right?

But I can't tell that for sure.

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO HELENA:

Long ago. Just like the hearse you die to get in again. We are. So far from you. Burning on. Just like the match you strike to incinerate. The lives of everyone you know. And what's the worst you take. From every heart you break. And like the blade you stain. Well, I've been holding on tonight. What's the worst that I can say? Things are better if I stay so long and goodnight. And if you carry on this way. Things are better if I stay. So long and goodnight. Came a time. When every star falls. Brought you to tears again. We are. The very hurt you sold. Can you hear me? Are you near me? Can we pretend to leave and then. We'll meet again. When both our cars collide.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2: I've already started!

Oooh, what'll happen to Tucker? I have a few references. Most of you have probably found the first: AB positive may exist, but I heard of it only in the move Bruce Almighty. I forgot the rest. Oh well. The image of Danny being haunting, I haven't seen The Ring, but I suppose the little girl haunts people and stuff, it's like her physique that helps and stuff, so I guess that could be a reference. I'm not sure about the IV, I think it's a thing that monitors heartbeat, am I right? Flame me all you want, I might as well get used to it, since it'll be a new hobby of mine starting the school year. Don't forget, I am sort of stupid at these kind of things because I'm not in high school yet and my school focuses more on business (which I also don't know yet.)

Note that all lyrics are from the actual CD case, so I don't type in word for word what came from the CD and the CD doesn't repeat all of the words and chorus, so…yeah.

This was pretyped on Wednesday, August 24, 2005. OUCH! Sorry, I got elastics for my braces recently and they're torture, since they had to re-cement my ring in and they gave me a coil, a twisty-wire thing to keep my teeth together, and a brand new wire. Oh joy.

Have fun, and don't get what I did yesterday! Oh the torture!


	2. Give 'Em Hell, Kid

Hey there! I really love the ideas I've got here! For the purpose of this story, let's make ephedrine a weak form of Novocain because I've researched and all I found on ephedrine was a bunch of big medical words that made my head hurt. And does anyone know what cyanide is? I remember saying cyanide is one of the bases in DNA but it was cytosine… You'll find out why I am asking this later.

DISCLAIMER: don't own either of them. This story has an alternative name, though, because I love the idea I assembled from the CD and it just seems so serious that it shouldn't have a name from a CD, but it should because it's following the events of it…I'm rambling.

Pretype start: August 24th, 2005

Pretype middle 1: August 25th, 2005

Pretype middle 2: August 29th, 2005

Pretype end: September 4, 2005, 8: 45 pm

RATING: T for…just because! For once, it's not terribly bloody or earth-shattering! Ok, slightly bloody and interesting imagery, but at least it's not gory!

Chapter 2

"Give 'Em Hell, Kid"

Danny sat on the train seat exhaustedly. Why did it have to happen to Tucker? Tucker was his responsibility! Danny was like his guardian angel. His safety was in his hands, and what did he do? He let it slip. The best he could do is pray. Pray for his life. Pray he can see what's happening.

A cell phone played a funky tune and vibrated off his neck. Danny clipped the cell phone off his neck and sighed into it as he prepared to greet the person calling him. "Hi." He really didn't have the urge to be cheerful; Tucker had been in extensive care at the hospital for a week, he really didn't need anything other than Tucker at the moment.

"Danny?"

"Mrs. Foley?" asked Danny.

"Yes."

"What's going on? Is Tucker okay?" asked Danny in a flurry while giving himself a mental kick. WHY did he have to leave for New Orleans right now? He should have stayed, been his guardian angel and fought off all his pain, especially since he was in the hospital.

"Yes, yes, Danny, we've just found some brain activity." Danny breathed a sigh of relief. Tucker was okay! He was alive! For now, at least.

12345678987654321

In the hospital, Tucker desperately tried to lift his arms. Nothing. He tried tilting his head. Nothing. No matter how hard he commanded his limbs to move, they would not budge. He could feel his brow furrow, but was sure it didn't. He wanted to twist and turn, leave the bed more than ever now.

He wanted to jump out, all better and not endure his mind's plunges into memories. He could feel his mind empty out and everything he could tell left him, leaving him inconsolably empty. At last, through the blackness, everything returned to him and a scene blurred before him. There was a train station in New Orleans and it was emptying. A familiar face looking down at the ground in shame came off the train with a small backpack slung over an arm covered in a white fabric, a part of a T-shirt.

The boy looked up reluctantly, grudgingly brushing raven hair from his baby blue eyes. Danny, thought Tucker. But…this didn't happen. This wasn't a memory. He could faintly make out what Danny was saying.

"Ugh," he said, shaking his head. "One week since he was put in extensive care at the hospital and all we find is brain waves."

Wait, I'm in extensive care in the hospital, thought Tucker. And this is like brain waves! Oh my god, I'm seeing what's happening to Danny. Holy…wait, who is that guy in the shadow?

Indeed, there was a man in the shadows of the train station. Tucker could barely make out a figure, but it was wearing a suit and it had its hair tied back into a ponytail at its nape. He immediately identified it as Vlad. A sudden anger surged through him and felt a strong desire to grab him by the neck and throttle him. But he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. This man was responsible for all the recent events! If I'm going to die, thought Tucker, the last thing I'm ever going to do is choke Vlad so hard his ass will explode!

As Danny was about to turn the other way, head still down, Vlad swooped out of the shadow and grabbed him in a headlock. Danny was struggling for air, his teeth gritted.

"What the hell are you doing here?" whispered Vlad to him as he choked Danny with all his might.

"What the hell are YOU doing here?" squeezed out Danny. Vlad managed to pull out a needle and stuck it in Danny's left arm. Injecting it, Danny felt slightly woozy. He needed to stay awake. Or he was ending up with Tucker. And that wouldn't end up pretty. Danny fought it off eventually and continued with a stronger urge to finish off Vlad once and for all than he had ever felt before.

He finally got a good grip against Vlad's arms and got him off his neck by flipping him over like a pancake. Vlad hit the ground hard and he closed his eyes, mouth open, but did not say anything. Instead, he opened his eyes and contorted his face into a sly expression.

By now, several people were staring at the scene. Vlad slowly got up, moaning, as if he were about to collapse. Danny still stood in a battling position, legs spread apart, arms up, hands curled in fists. His eyes burned with fire into Vlad's and he wanted nothing more than to punch him hard in the face, to just grab him by the neck, squeeze and then kick him in the balls particularly hard.

But no, not yet. He was still getting up, he wasn't yet up in a ready position. With all these onlookers, he'd better make the fight look fair. Vlad grudgingly and painfully got into a position similar of Danny's.

Danny finally prepared. He socked Vlad in the stomach, who caved in, legs blocking any passage to the prime area. For now, he'd have settle for other places. Danny swiftly swiped his foot through Vlad's and he lost balance. Still caved in pain, Vlad fell over sideways in a position as if he were still standing up, now curled in a ball.

Danny looked at him pitifully and moved behind him. He moved behind Vlad and gave him a hard, well-deserved kick up the butt.

"That's for sending my best friend to the hospital!" he said. "Intensive care!" he said a little more loudly, and kicked him even harder. Vlad didn't know what position to take. Wherever he lay, Danny would still hit him. No getting around that.

Tucker stared in awe at what he saw. Danny was sweet enough to grab Vlad and give him the beating that's been awaiting him for years. Twenty years, to be exact, really. Tucker was still surprised, though; both Danny and Tucker knew that Vlad was much stronger than that. But the both of them also knew that watching his face screwed in pain felt oh, so nice.

Danny looked pitifully onto Vlad's curled form and said, "You deserved it. Big time." With that, Danny grabbed his bag and walked out of the train station past stunned, scared faces as if Vlad hadn't even been there in the first place.

Tucker fell back and the world became black. The floor was swept from beneath his feet. He couldn't breathe and through the blackness his mind played tricks on him. Then, with a hard crash, he landed on a soft mattress with the covers over him. His mind stopped and it raced off thinking. His vision no longer played tricks, but stayed one solid color of black. The color he was always seeing. Whether it be on Danny's head or the road that he was found on.

His mind stopped all processes, cutting itself off to listen in on the conversation.

"Look at his state, he's getting worse!"

"We need immediate help!"

"Get the medicine, get the shots, get anything to save this boy!"

It was then that Tucker noticed how amazingly tired he was. It was as if his eyes were closing beneath closed lids and he was plunged into a darker abyss than ever. In this state, he could still listen in, but now neon pink fish played the ukulele with flowers made out of light bulbs serenading him to sleep.

"We're losing him!"

"He's detaching with reality!"

"He's—"

Tucker was gone, sure he was smiling and could feel himself singing (horribly) with the light bulb flowers and strumming a pretend ukulele with the fish, flopping in the same pattern. Or so he could see himself doing so.

"He's gone."

Tucker could no longer hear the conversations and felt a heavy burden lift off of him as he continued playing as if he was not eighteen, but five years old.

In the hospital room, Jazz stood biting her nails and lip as nurses and doctors rushed in and out of the room, checking the IV and EKG every few seconds, among other things.

"Will he be alright?" she asked.

"We've had this case only once before. He's plunged into a vision of the real world, showing what's happening to the person he cares about most, no matter where they are. Almost like he's psychic, except he's seeing the present. Then, when he's back out of it, he's shoved into a deep part of his subconscious that keeps a very young version of his mind, no older than five years old. Some sensation, like that of being high or the like, overtakes him and he participates in his crazy record of his youth. Unfortunately, short afterwards, a terrible nightmare takes over and he can't get out."

"What happened?" asked Jazz, trembling with fear.

"Well, the other patient who had it…well, he was scarred for life. not long after."

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO GIVE 'EM HELL, KID:

Oh baby here comes the sound! I took a train outta New Orleans. And they shot me full of ephedrine. This is how we like to do it at the m u r d e r scene. Can we settle up the score? If you were here. I'd never have a fear. So go on live your life. But I miss you more than I did yesterday. You're so far away. So c'mon show me how. 'Cause I mean this more than firing squad or the mess you made. Well don't I look pretty walking down the street. In the best damn dress I own? We are young and we don't care. Your dreams and hopeless hair. We never wanted it to be this way. For all our lives. Do you care at all?

Chapter 2

Chapter 3: whenever…

Sorry this took so long to get up. I was writing the freakishly revised version for my friend and I write that one first then I fix it up for this version and add anything that should be there. It took a long time to write because I was working on it on and off for a while. SORRY! Also, I got the image up for this story. It's uploaded on Photobucket, but my account isn't cooperating! Wait, it's fixed now. It's a little resized, so some of the text is screwy and the images aren't exactly as they should be, but it's okay.

Here's the link (take out the spaces): http /img . photobucket . com / albums / v206 / eereesa / ThreeCheersforSweetRevengecover . png

Yeah. Long. Sorry. But in my opinion, it's worth it, especially since it was all done in Paint.

Well, school's starting in two days (to be one in 3 hours and 35 minutes) and I'm working on my novel in a frenzy. The camping trip was awesome, especially the rafting in the rapids!

Last note, please review! I BEG OF YOU! And if you do, please (please) tell me if this made you feel it as much as chapter 1 did. If not, tell me why. Because I was aiming for you guys to feel depending on the knowledge already in your head. But please tell me. Bye!


	3. To The End

Be very happy…I do these practically on command. My friend and I were chatting and she asked me to type up chapter 3 because she really loved it and somehow a really close friend's comment makes me want to write it more because they've known me as a different person and I really like it that they like my writing. Sorry. BUT you guys really mean a lot to me, too!

Right now, I am very…AUGH…by Bush. Because of Katrina, gas prices are sky high (no I don't have a car, but it's outrageous!), and they would be lower if he actually accepted the help from other countries and sent out people earlier! Also, I think that if people got a more serious warning in the first place, the whole situation would be a little better.

Sorry for my rambling, and I'm sorry for bringing in politics. Please ignore that, it's my opinion, and honestly, who gives a crap about it? It's just my opinion, and no one has to listen to it.

THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED to all the souls lost in the 9/11 tragedy in New York and all the firemen who gave their lives/did their best to help. Now, we are all torn between the memories of this day 4 years ago and between New Orleans and Katrina.

By the way, I got the definition of cyanide and the next chapter is going my way, no lawsuit thing. None of that crap. Straight in, if you know what I mean.

DISCLAIMER: no and no. Don't even dare sue me, because I warned you.

RATED: T for slightly mature themes and language.

Pretype Start: September 11, 2005, 12:39 am

Pretype End: September 11, 2005, 4:14 am

Chapter 3

"To The End"

Tucker rolled around like a dog in the grass, laughing. This was the best he felt in his life. The guilt he had always felt with Danny was now gone; there was no ghost boy around any more, no guy left for him to protect while he did vice versa. He was on his own with the pink fish and flowers made of light bulbs. And this is the way it should be. To the end, right?

He giggled stupidly, and not caring at all who heard him. Hell, he wouldn't care if Dash or Mr. Lancer had seen him like this, he was happy, and that's all he wanted. He laid down in the luscious green grass, staring into the cloudless sky blue void.

But then, like jeans ripping, the sky, with an abrupt sound, tore itself in half and fell away like rags. Lightning rippled through the sky. It nearly hit him, and a storm was flooding. If he didn't move now, he'd be dead!

Tucker scrambled to his feet and clumsily ran, but tripped over something and fell into garnet-colored water. He turned around as the water level became higher and saw a body. Not anyone's body, but Danny's. And then Sam's right next to his. Their eyes were shut, mouths open, faces contorted in fear and anger. What really bothered him, though, was the b l o o d all over them. And worse yet, when Tucker lifted his hand, he was holding a knife. The knife that had cost Danny and Sam their lives. He gasped, turning on his heel, desperately trying to leap through the water. But as he was walking, he saw Casper High to his right crumble to the ground, his entire class among the ruins, also d e a d. He gave a short scream as his mind scrambled for answers.

What's going on? How did this start? I—I don't believe it! I have Sam's and Danny's lives on my hands! My best friends! What did I do? I've—I've , I'm a m u r d e rer! I've lost my best friends in the whole world—the only people I could ever relate to!

Tucker raced forward into the lashing lightning and the deafening thunder, desperately trying to not get hit. But the sight that befell him stopped him.

There were his parents running out of the house desperately. And before they could even tell what happened, a huge whip of lightning lashed out and struck them. After that, Tucker couldn't see them. But he knew what happened. They dropped dead like flies, just like everyone else in Amity Park in the midst of the super-storm.

Tucker dropped to his knees, and tilted his head skyward and let out a pained, anguished, unusually loud screech. Not his parents, too! Everyone he had ever known—dropping in front of him! He was the only survivor, and what good is that if you're the only one. HIS PARENTS! Not his parents! Danny and Sam were the worst, but why on top of that his PARENTS? A huge lump in his throat as tears scrunched out of his eyes.

Lightning was about to hit him and the past day flashed in his mind. He was so happy, but he noticed that it couldn't be possible. How could you be so happy! It's impossible!

The lightning was only a few inches away, it was the only thing standing between Tucker's happiness and his pain.

And at that moment, his eyes snapped open. He was in a white room, full of bustling doctors rushing in and out. And he noticed about five seconds after he woke up doctors stopped circulating. He was alone. And he'd be trapped in a bubble forever.

12345678987654321

Danny sighed angrily as he stared out the window of the RV. Nothing had ever been right since—since that stupid car accident! Tucker was still there, he had gotten his revenge on Vlad—which oddly felt strange—, and he was off to Wisconsin again for a stupid dinner party.

His cell phone rang again as the RV passed a rural area and he picked it up in desperate need of civilization. Jazz sometimes really got on his nerves.

"Hello?"

"Danny, it's Mrs. Foley."

"Mrs. Foley? How's Tucker doing?" Suddenly, everyone listened in to the conversation.

"Well, he woke up—"

"That's great!" Danny covered the phone and whispered, "He woke up!" Instead of Jazz's happy face that he had so much longed to see nowadays, her face broke in tears as she flung herself on top of Danny's shoulder again, drowning his shirt in sobs.

"Um, Mrs. Foley, is there bad news?" Danny could tell by the way Jazz was clutching onto him something was wrong.

"Yes, well—"

Before Mrs. Foley could continue, Jazz clutched the cell phone and closed it, digging deeper into Danny's shoulder.

"What is it, Jazz?" he asked comfortingly and gently.

"T-Tucker…he got sucked into some weird high-happy-dream and-and…the doctor said that when he'll wake up…" Jazz broke out in hysterical dreams as Danny desperately did all he could to make her feel better. But his business was fighting and justice…what could he do? He wasn't as good a psychologist as Jazz was, and this time, it was the analyzer who needed help. "He'll be scarred from a nightmare that shows his worst fear…only happened once before and-and they !"

Danny was obviously appalled by this information, but held it in for his sister. One person had to be strong here, and it was going to be him…no matter what happened.

"Shhh…Jazz, it's alright."

"No, it isn't!" she cried desperately.

"Yes it is. I know it will be. Because I know Tucker and he's a fighter. He'll do anything to keep alive."

"How do you know that!" said Jazz. It almost seemed as though Jazz was trying to find reasons to be depressed. She wanted to be happy so much, but she couldn't help it. These things just came to her mind.

"Because Tucker has been in a serious fight. Got a bad injury. And do you know what happened?" whispered Danny in her ear softly with a small smile as her head turned to him.

"W-What?" she said, slightly calming down.

"He lived. Better than ever. I know he wouldn't ever try to commit s u i c i d e. Never in his life."

"A-Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure, Jazz," he said, clutching Jazz tightly, sharing as much warmth as he possibly could. He knew he was worried, and he knew he should pour it out instead of bottling it up, but someone had to be strong. For Jazz. For Sam. And Danny knew it would have to be him.

The car, a few hours later, pulled up at a huge mansion that Danny recognized, with a burning hatred, as Vlad's. By then, Danny had miraculously managed to keep Jazz under control after the conversation.

The family clambered out of the RV, heading into the mansion. The doors swung open to a slightly frazzled Vlad. Maddie stared with pure hatred at the man who had put her through all the trouble she had had with her son in the woods.

"Ah, the Fentons. Come in, come in, ah, yes, Maddie," he said with a slick look towards the red-haired woman.

"Vlad," she responded bitterly.

"HEY V-MAN!" yelled Jack as he held Vlad in a noogie-hug.

"Jack, get off me!" yelled Vlad.

"And here we have the younger ones," said Vlad in a sickeningly sweet voice as he looked down on Jazz and Danny, or rather, looked level at them, as Danny was now slightly taller than the middle-aged man.

"Vlad," Danny growled. Jazz clutched at his shirt.

"Come in, come in! Welcome to the tomb," said Vlad welcomingly as the family entered the large dining room adorned with gold and green for the Green Bay Packers. Maddie, Jazz, and Danny looked strangely at the old man; tomb?

"Yes, Danny," he added hastily. "I need you to come with me. Come, young badger."

"You can stop any time now," said Danny emptily. Too much was on his mind at the time.

"Come," said Vlad harshly, grabbing Danny's arm and sending a sharp shock through his body. Danny reluctantly walked with him as a terrible fume passed through. Vlad coughed and his face contorted slightly into a stranger expression.

They passed several open rooms. One was a double-door elegant room which had caved in, the remains of it a woman dressed in white and a broken podium on top of a priest.

"Wedding that caved in," murmured Vlad.

They passed another room, this one more of a recreational pool room. Several men stood there, talking casually as Vlad cast them a not-so-casual look, one more of affection and love as he bit his lip tenderly. Danny scrunched his nose and frowned.

Vlad tugged him into an elevator, where he pressed the button that said '20'. The elevator reached level ten and Vlad hit the buttons.

"Damned elevator," he muttered as the doors opened. He smiled and said, "Good enough, eh?" Danny didn't know what to say, or whether he should speak at all. He decided no as he was tugged again, shocked once more. However, his burning hatred for Vlad burned through him more than his shocks ever could.

"Here," said Vlad maniacally. In the room the had just entered, there was a big clear tub full of—

"Cyanide, Daniel. Someone's going in. Can you guess?" he giggled.

Danny's memories flashed in front of him. Just last year, he was given several dares, one of them to drink a crazy amount of cyanide: one glass.

"_Danny, truth or dare."_

"_Dare," he said automatically. Dash chuckled evilly, having come up with something bad._

"_Drink one glass of cyanide." The group surrounding the players gasped. One glass? That was enough to k i l l the strongest of men!_

"_Uh-no," he said immediately._

"_Chicken! If you're so chicken, then, I don't think you'll stop me from doing this—" Dash punched Danny in the stomach "—or this!" He hit him against the cheek._

"_Gah! Fine!" said Danny. He grabbed the large glass and drank it down. It didn't really taste that good, a lot like some of that weird kissy lip gloss he had eaten for a dare. Tasted a lot like something bitter and sour at once along with the worst food ever. _

_People waited in suspense for several minutes, trying their hardest to not move or make a sound, trying to see when Danny would kick the bucket. But he never did. And it was because of his genetic makeup he still lived._

"_HA!" cried Danny triumphantly. "Is that the best you've got?"_

And another memory, just two months ago flashed through his mind like commercials. It was the same game…

"_Oh, yeah, Iron Danny?" said Star. "I dare you to eat two small diamonds." Danny shrugged, grabbing the two diamonds clutched in Star's hand meant for him. He stuffed them down his throat and swallowed. A little sharp, and a little salty, but other than that, it tasted really good. Everyone gawked at the young boy once more._

Once more, another snippet from his past found its way into his train of thought.

_Sam climbed into the driver's seat happily, Danny in the passenger seat. He had never seen her better and she started up the car, driving past all the couples of jocks and their preppy girlfriends who really all looked the same: plastically happy on the outside, but constantly bickering like a couple in their mid-40's when no one could see them. _

Danny couldn't believe it. Cyanide tub?

"Cyanide tub?"

"Yes, Daniel, you're going in!" said Vlad.

"No, I'm not!" yelled Danny as he pulled Vlad out of the room as someone passed through the hall to the elevator. Danny punched him in the cheek as Vlad moaned. Danny, taking this opportunity, lunged on him and began punching him with extreme force until b l o o d was coming out of his mouth.

The person pressed the down button on the elevator. It was at the 31st floor, so he stood there, looking back at the corridor.

Danny took every opportunity to get back at him.

"Funny, I didn't think you were human enough to have b l o o d," he said angrily. "Maybe we should see if there's some ectoplasm down there." Danny stood up and kicked Vlad's side.

"COME ON! Don't be a sissy! Fight like a man! Oh, that's right, you're just an aged old man who STILL doesn't have a cat!" He kicked Vlad's side harder. "GET UP, you damned ass!"

Vlad's face contorted with some unknown expression as Danny continued beating him up terribly. He didn't want to know why he wasn't fighting back, mainly because Vlad was his punching bag. And that was the only way it would work.

Finally, the elevator arrived, and the person climbed in, pale.

12345678987654321

Tucker sat there, scared for his life. What if that would really happen? What if? It was highly unlikely, but so was his friend being half-ghost. Look at him now! Anything was possible. And Tucker could think of only one way out.

Tucker grabbed his knees and pressed them against his chest, ignoring the pain. He wanted to sleep, and that's what he was going to do. After this slumber, he'd make sure his next one would be really long.

So he could get as much rest as he possibly could.

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO TO THE END:

He calls the mansion not a house but a tomb. He's always choking from the stench and the fume. The wedding party all collapsed in the room. So send my resignation to the bride and the groom. Let's go down! This elevator only goes up to ten. He's not around he's always looking at men. Down by the pool he doesn't have many friends. As they are. Face down and bloated snap a shot with the lens. If you marry me, will you bury me? Will you carry me to the end? So say goodbye to the vows you take. And say goodbye to the heart you break. And all the cyanide you drank. She keeps a picture of the body she lends. Got nasty blisters from the money she spends. She got a life of her own and it shows by the Benz she drives at 90 by the Barbies and Kens. If you ever say never too late. I'll forget all the diamonds you ate. Lost in coma and covered in cake. Increase the medication share the vows at the wake. Kiss the bride. So say goodbye to all the vows you take. And say goodbye to the life you make. And say goodbye to the heart you break. And all the cyanide you drank. So say goodbye to the last parade. And walk away as the parties fade. And say goodnight to the heart you break and all the cyanide you drank. To the end.

Chapter 3

Chapter 4: when my friend probably asks for it.

Ah, my eyes burn! Be happy, my eyes hurt so damn much after typing this up! ARGH! Those of you who have the CD, you might tell what happens next. Heh, I can't wait to write chapters 5 and 6. There are major cliffhangers in chapter 5! It's awesome! I love it so bad! The bad thing is, there's a curse word in one of the song titles. The 10th song/chapter is called "It's Not a Fashion Statement, It's a Fing Deathwish". Beware. I'll have to block that out…

Good night, I bid you adieu and Fusion chapter 2 is (finally) in the works along with FMTMG. Be happy. Very happy.

EDIT: I'm so stupid, I just noticed. It's September 11th. God bless America, I was only a few miles away when it happened. And my dad was in the building in '93 when the bomb went off. Just so you know, Survivor was an annual story, so the second chapter will have to be typed up today, but later. God bless you all, and may nothing that tragic befall you.


	4. YKWTDTGLUIP

Oy, I can't wait for this! Now, as I said last chapter (and purrbaby101 was observant enough—or she has the CD—to go and check out the next song) you would find a very interesting chapter title for this one. Well, now you know! Have fun, dearies! Ay, the chapter name is damn long!

Unlike another story, Danny is going straight there. No fighting about it. I just have to speed it up instead of the other story, which was made for suspense.

DISCLAIMER: what do you think? NO for both of them.

RATED: T for obvious reasons. If you've read the other three chapters (which I presume you did), you'd know where I'm going here.

WARNING: do NOT read this chapter if you hate fluff! This chapter is going to be major fluff. It's going to be so fluffy that if you end up in heaven after reading this, it'll seem like dirt and weeds up there.

Pretype Start: September 11, 2005, 10:18 pm

Pretype End: September 14, 2005, 7:00 pm

Chapter 4

"You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison"

Danny laid on his bed, going over some thoughts. He never did anything else, even when he had to fight ghosts. He just shoved them in the thermos first thing and resumed his deep thoughts. Jazz often did the same, but walls separated them. However, this tangible object seemed to only make their connection stronger; they were on the same train of thought and it almost seemed like they telekinetically spoke to each other.

The doorbell rang, and no one spoke. In other words, it meant that Danny had to go get it.

Sighing, he trudged off the bed and opened the door. There two men in blue shirts, black pants held up by utility belts full of small weapons, black leather shoes, and handcuffs, a badge pinned to their shirts.

"Um, what can I do for you?" asked Danny as politely as he could, which was hard. Two policemen showed up at his doorstep. Sounding polite is not easy.

"Come with us," said the first one, clicking on the handcuffs. Danny tried to resist, but it didn't work, so instead, he yelled.

"HELP!" he bellowed. Three family members rushed down the staircase to him, where the two policemen stood.

"What's the problem, officers?" asked Maddie worriedly.

"It turns out your son here has assaulted Vlad Masters twice."

"What? No way!" said Jazz.

"Not Vlad!" said Jack in horror.

"Oh," said Maddie plainly.

"Who's the witness?" asked Jazz.

"This man," said the second policeman, pointing to a pale man. Danny instantly recognized him from two places: New Orleans and the dinner party. He was in the crowd at New Orleans and was down the hall, going to the elevator, at the dinner party.

"WHAT?" asked Danny angrily. "But didn't he see Vlad assault me first?"

The pale man shook no. Danny sighed angrily and walked into the police car, his anger melting away into sadness. What would happen to him? What would his sentence be? And most importantly, what would happen to everyone else?

The long ride to the police station ended, where the two policemen shoved Danny out of the car and led him to a cell.

As the policemen walked away from his cell, he didn't even know what to feel: anger, sorrow, or what? Tucker was in the hospital, about to commit s u i c i d e, Sam was…what was Sam doing at the moment?

Danny couldn't believe himself! He didn't even know what Sam had been doing this whole time! In fact, the last time he saw her, it was…when Tucker was rushed to the hospital. How could he not remember what she was doing? What kind of an ass was he?

But right now…what was he to do? Who would come and find him? Would anyone beside his family know he was here? Probably not…the Foleys have enough on their hands right now and the Mansons haven't a clue about me since then. As for everyone else…would they notice his absence from school? Again, a probably not. Tucker and Sam were the only ones who ever noticed if he was gone, but they were both out or preoccupied with something else, he was sure of it.

Days passed, then weeks, and eventually that time spanned into months, and it ended up a year. Nothing had ever felt longer for him…time had gone slower than a snail and hours seemed like weeks for Danny. For how long could an assault land you in jail? That ass must have embellished it all. Must've said I pointed a gun to his head and shot or some other bull like that…

All that time, the only thing that kept him from saying, "SO LONG, world!" was one person. Only one person, although she never bothered to visit him. He was a hopeful, ridiculous boy, even at eighteen, which, he reminded himself, would no longer be his age, as in a week or two his birthday was coming up. Only one person has kept him going.

Sam.

And that person would be the only one he'd ever feel for. She was everything to him and more. She helped him in troubled times, more than Tucker ever could. She always shone to him, and in his dreams he desperately hoped he would eventually kiss her. He always wanted to know what she would do every day, and supported everything she represented.

Sam was the perfect g i r l for him, and he loved her so much. He had waited so long in that cell, those barred poles, only to wait to see that wonderful, beautiful, elegant face of hers. He wanted to hear that song of a voice of hers. He wanted to feel her warmth again. If he could see her just once more, it would make his life complete and he wouldn't care if he made it out of jail or not: if he saw Sam, he knew that everything would be okay.

After a year behind those wretched and cruel metal sticks, Danny was beginning to lose his mind and was just barely clutching on to sanity. His fingers were slipping, and he would have let go six months ago if he hadn't kept praying for that angel stuck on earth: Sam. He'd be totally lost at the moment if he had never met her, and the first person to visit him, even though he highly doubted at this point anyone would come, would listen to the boy's rantings about her and would get the desperate request to drag her there.

By then, the twinkle in his eyes had long gone and his hair was no longer shiny nor was it in it's usual organized but messy spikes. Now it had grown down past his ears and so messy that his dump of a room would be Jazz's closet compared to his mane. His clothes were tattered and now hung very loosely on his form. He had stopped eating much when no one visited him, let alone Sam, for six months.

He would give anything for anyone to visit him.

And eventually, his wish came true.

One week before his nineteenth birthday, a 20-year-old young lady with short red hair and teal eyes came to visit him. Danny usually spent his time looking at the light the sun cast on the wall, wondering deeply about how the world really worked when she disturbed his thoughts.

"Danny!" she said, gripping the bars of the cell. He shook out of his thoughts.

"Wha…" he said. "Who are you?"

"Don't you remember me?" she said tearfully. "I'm your sister, Jazz!"

"Jazz?" he asked as if it was unfamiliar. "OH, Jazz, oh my God, what do I do? When am I going to be let out?"

"Soon, Danny, very soon."

"Jazz," he said, his now dark eyes tearing, "do you know how long ago I would've lost my sanity in this torture chamber?"

Jazz shook her head.

"I keep wondering! Will they inject me with some crap? Will they shock me with the chair? What punishments await me? Do you know the only thing I've been clutching on to the past year? The only little dreg of hope I have left?" he said in a sudden whisper.

Jazz shook her head, tortured seeing her brother like this. She remembered how a year ago he would hold her close and comfort her. She remembered how warm he was, how soothing he felt. He was like a teddy bear, but a living one. He knew exactly what to do when someone needed help. And seeing him in need now was k i l ling her.

"What is it?" she said shakily.

"Sam," he said hoarsely. "Sam's been keeping me alive, even though she's probably forgotten me a long time ago."

Jazz stayed silent. She really didn't know. She hadn't seen Sam for quite a while.

"What have you been up to for an entire year that prevented you from coming? It tore me apart, waiting here for hours, clutching those poles, waiting for anyone to come. Other people come and gawk at me as if I'm a slug! Or worse, dirt!"

Jazz still stayed silent, racking her brain for answers. How was a sister supposed to fix a broken brother? She needed to make it up to him, but she couldn't. She was a bad sister, but that didn't stop her from racking every single thing in her brain about psychology for her brother as if it were all in file cabinets.

"Had I not met Sam, I'd be saying that Danny Fenton works at a morgue inside his own dissected mind. Just the thought of seeing her again…it lifts my heart and that's my only desire now. Please, Jazz!" He scrambled to her level, also grabbing the bars. They nearly touched noses. "Bring Sam! I'm desperate!"

A tear crawled out of his eye and fell off the tip of his nose, staining the floor like the several others that had before.

"I-I can't, Danny," she said. She didn't know what to do anymore. She had to console him somehow, but how could she?

"Why not, Jazz?" he asked fearfully, but firmly.

"I haven't seen her in quite a while."

"You don't know what happened to her?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"What if she's gone?" he whispered shakily.

"No, Danny, I know she isn't. She still goes to school."

"And what about Tucker?" he asked.

"Out of the hospital, good as new." Jazz forced a small smile. Danny did the same.

"Is life still the same?"

"If you mean that Dad tries activating a ghost gadget while Mom has to run around fixing it, yes." Danny let out a small chuckle.

"So I'm getting out soon?" asked Danny hopefully, his eyes gaining some hope in them.

"Yes," assured Jazz and gave him a hug as well as she could from the other side of the bars. "Look, Danny, I have to go, I'm really sorry I haven't visited in a year."

From how she felt, Jazz felt like she was the prisoner herself and Danny was…she didn't know. But he was still in worse condition than her. Permanent damage had been done, and he only wanted one thing now that no one could give him.

"But I'm warning you now," she said quietly as she walked out of the station and looked back at it. "Don't be surprised at what you find."

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO TO GUYS LIKE US IN PRISON:

In the middle of a gunfight. In the center of a restaurant. They say. Come with your arms raised high. Well they're never gonna get me. Like a bullet through a flock of doves. To wage this war against your faith in me. Your life will never be the same. On our mother's eyes say a prayer. Say a prayer. Now, but I can't. And I don't know. How we're just two men as god had made us. Well I can't. Well I can. Too much too late. Or just not enough of this. Pain in my heart for your dying wish. I'll kiss your lips again. they all cheat at cards and checkers are lost. My cellmate's a k i l ler. They make me do pushups in drag. But nobody cares if you're losing yourself am I losing myself and well I miss my mom! Will they give me the chair? Or lethal injection swing from a rope if you dare. Oh nobody knows all the trouble I seen. Life is but a dream for the dead and well I can't go down by myself but I'll go down with my friends. Take it like a man.

Chapter 4

Chapter 5: when my friend asks for chapter 4…

Yeah, my friend's now a chapter behind. I love this one so much! Very emotional. It makes me feel so bad! I can't believe what I'm doing in the next few chapters! Prepare for one of the few climaxes you'll find. There's one in chapter 10…whee! I love screwing with you guys! And be happy! It's a school night and way past my bedtime. About 45 minutes.

It broke my heart to do that conversation…Please tell me exactly how it made you feel and if it was a change of direction from my usual emotions in this story? Tell me what it really is…or express it as best you can. I'm dying to know if I got the right mood…


	5. I'm Not Okay I Promise

ARGH! I'm so…I don't even know! I feel so guilty; I've been that way all day! It's torture! I hope you like chapter 4. Here comes one of my favorite chapters. Those of you who saw the cover, Sam hanging from those shackles…here it comes baby! You guys are all going to be gasping and going "NO!" by the end of this chapter (just like chapter 2 of MimM).

Well, Ultimate Enemy's tomorrow! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! I don't believe it! Oh, gotta leave in four minutes…see DP for the first time in a few weeks…okay scratch that…at 6 pm SHARP, my dad walked in. HE WALKED IN. And I finally figured out who the Ultimate Enemy is! Wait for it:

HIM! Danny himself!

If you've seen the commercial, you know that Danny falls unconscious and then a MUSCULAR BLACK AND WHITE BOOT (that looks a lot like Danny's boot, but more muscle-y). Clockwork probably got Danny from the future to fight our favorite sophomore Danny (can you believe it?) and future Danny WINS! Obvious, innit?

Anyway…

DISCLAIMER: I'm sorry, I don't own DP but I cannot WAIT to see Ultimate Enemy! AAH! I don't own the title or song titles or lyrics either; that's My Chemical Romance's.

RATING: T for slightly mature themes and language.

Oh, yeah, and the real writing started the day after the premiere of Ultimate Enemy! I ACTUALLY SAW IT!

Chapter 5

"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"

The metal bars that Danny had held on to for a full year slid open. They moved back, leaving an open bath between the tear-stained cell and the outside world. Danny took in a deep breath, regaining a sense of reality.

He was free.

He was free!

Danny walked out slowly, savoring every sweet moment of freedom he could taste. That torture, that trapped, solidified feeling left him. And he knew the first thing he was going to do: see Sam.

As soon as Danny walked out of the station, he peered about. Real trees. Real grass. Real sky. The air smelled fresh and of flowers. Everything took the depression off of Danny's chest and the more breaths he took, the more grounded he became, the more reality came to mind.

He immediately raced off for Sam's house, savoring the wind brushing through his hair. It felt so good! A year in a cell where no one else loved him and he was out in a world that cared now!

Danny reached the Manson Mansion and knocked politely. It was hard not to burst through like a devil, exercising his ecstasy, but the Mansons were not a family to be reckoned with.

"Hello?" he said loudly, knocking again. Still, nothing. He carefully unlocked the door through the other end using intangibility and slowly walked in cautiously. "Hello?" he called out again.

Then he heard a murmuring from Sam's room. Grinning widely, he raced up the stairs and stood outside, reminiscing his life five years ago. So carefree. He'd always burst in yelling for Sam to get out of the way before ghosts came in and attacked her. And she'd always oblige. Happily, at that.

Danny burst in, not standing it any longer; it was like he had a sudden adrenaline rush.

But what he saw scarred him for life and made him lose sanity more than jail ever could.

There sat Sam on her bed with another boy. He had brown hair that was swept to one side and wasn't stuck behind his ear. Instead, it covered his whole right eye. Danny couldn't tell what eye color he had, since they were closed. But the worst part of it was, the two teenagers were interlocked. The boy held onto her waist tightly while Sam clutched his back. Their mouths were glued together passionately, enjoying a long affectionate kiss.

Danny couldn't do anything. He felt helpless. With all the ghost powers he had, none of them could heal the heart in his chest that rapidly tore itself in millions of in-repairable pieces. The only person who kept him truly alive for a year was making out with someone else.

Sam's eye suddenly opened, causing Danny to startle, but she soon disconnected herself from the boy, who slowly turned himself to the object of Sam's gaze. The black-haired nineteen-year-old could feel their stares burning holes through his body, and it couldn't have hurt him more to see his best friend staring at him cruelly.

"Excuse me," said Sam rudely, "we'd like some privacy!"

"Really. Who walks in on a couple?" asked the boy coolly.

"Who's he?" asked Danny, finally mustering up enough air to say something.

"He's my boyfriend, Trey," said Sam meanly. "But why would you care?"

"Sam—" Danny desperately began. He wanted Sam back. His Sam. What had happened? A lump formed in his throat as he tried asking again.

Sam's eyes shot open as she cut him off. "How do you know my name?" she asked suspiciously. "Are you a stalker?" Sam cuddled up to her boyfriend, and Danny felt a surge of hatred and sorrow burst through him. "Trey, help me, he's stalking me!" she cried out fearfully.

Trey growled as he stood up, leaving Sam on the bed to be awestruck with the two boys. "You been following my girl?" he asked cockily.

"No, of course I haven't!" said Danny, his voice cracking. Trey was nearing up on him and he was practically pinned to the wall. He couldn't find any more air to talk, and he was sure his throat would explode along with all of his emotions. They were bursting their boundaries, and he could feel his eyes tearing.

"Don't you remember Tucker, Sam?" cried out Danny, using the last breath of air he had. He braced himself for contact with Trey's fist.

"T-Tucker?" asked Sam nervously. "How do you know him?" she asked, motioning for Trey to back off and leave the room. Trey grudgingly left the room. He really didn't want to leave Sam with this—this—this sick demented stalker! As the door shut, Danny forced himself to speak without breaking out in tears.

"Don't you remember me? I'm Danny! Danny Fenton?" he shouted. Sam shook her head slowly.

"Tucker in the car accident? Jazz? Ember, for God's sake!" Danny yelled, eyes glazed. Sam still looked confused.

"Sam, do you know where one of the Fentons were for the past year?" he asked softly, landing on the bed beside her. She shook her head.

"Jail! Do you know who that Fenton was?" he asked.

"No, I don't."

"Me. Danny Fenton. I had been caught supposedly assaulting Vlad Masters twice for what he did to Tucker. Do you know what kept me alive?" Sam shook her head once more, eyes wide.

This boy…there was something about him. An air of familiarity and she couldn't associate it. She wanted nothing more than to kick him in a particularly sensitive area, fetch Trey and get the police on him, but something in her mind and heart told her not to. They told her to listen, and so she did. All of this seemed so far-fetched, but she couldn't help but swallow every word of it.

"You did, Samantha Emile Manson. Your breathtaking beauty, your wondrous individuality, your care for others through a strange Gothic way. You're the only thing that kept me sane for an entire year in that prison, while they forcibly injected me with drugs and tried shocking me. I spent hours in that cell, weeping, hoping, thinking of you. And now I see you. Right here, right now. And truly, I never would have felt better," he said gently. Their faces were only a centimeter apart, and his soft, enchanting blue eyes enthralled her. Sam bit her lip in doubt.

"But why not?" she whispered.

"Because I found you with another man. The second they let me out an hour ago, I raced off non-stop to you to tell you, to have fun with you just like we did in freshman year. But I suppose we can't now. Thanks," he said solemnly. Danny stood up and, with a sigh of depression, started heading out the door.

Sam bit her lip harder. What could she do? This was a man she didn't even know, but he seemed vaguely familiar…

Everything clicked. Sam now knew exactly who he was: her best friend.

"Danny, wait!" she cried out urgently, jumping off the bed. He stopped and turned around.

"Yes, Sam?" he asked calmly.

This wasn't the Danny she knew. He wasn't so calm and together all the time. She expected him to be more upset than anything, but the most emotion she could find in him was disappointment. And not the teenage kind of disappointment; the kind of disappointment parents talked to their child with when they did something incredibly stupid or wrong. She felt like a little puppy or ant, at his mercy.

"I…" What was she supposed to say? She was hooked with Trey, happier than she could remember, but there was always a missing hole somewhere in her, and she couldn't tell what. Now, suddenly, that hole was fixed and full and she felt completely whole.

"It's alright, Sam. I'll see you again. I know it." With this, Danny, instead of walking out the door, transformed and flew out the window.

Trey sat stubbornly on the couch. He heard a cry from Sam's room that sounded a lot like "Danny!" to him. What were they doing up there that he couldn't know? Was he taking Sam from him? No way was that happening.

Trey jumped from the couch and raced up the stairs and wrung the doorknob, desperately flinging it open. The window was closed, and no possible escape could have been made. But yet, Sam was not there.

"SAM!" he cried out angrily.

12345678987654321

Sam slowly opened her eyes. Oh…her head was throbbing horribly. She wanted to stop the pain but couldn't. It stung immensely and she was sure she had thought way too much in the past few hours. But where was she?

Sam decided to peer about a tiny bit. She was in a dungeon-like basement, her nose wrinkled at the stale smell of the stone room. Torches hanging off the wall provided a bright, yet eerie, flickering light as her thick-heeled boots made a grinding noise as they produced friction with the small rocks on the rock floor.

She then noticed that she couldn't move her feet more than about two inches apart. Sam looked down, her black bangs and longer hair in the edges of her vision. Attached at the ankles of her boots were two tight metal cuffs, connected by a chain. She sighed. How did she get herself in these situations?

Sam tried moving her arms forward and apart. Neither worked well. Peering above her, or as good as she could, she found that her arms were also covered in metal cuffs, bounded together by a chain. But not only to each other, a metal plate was level with her hands—curled into fists—and the cuffs had a second link each. Both of them connected with the plate so Sam couldn't move from her position pressed against the wall.

The lights from the torches surged, creating a slightly dimmer atmosphere as a shadow appeared. It took form to a man and in came Vlad Masters, in all his silver-pony-tailed glory. He was, as custom to himself these days, wearing a sneer.

"Hello, dear Samantha," he said.

"What do you want?" yelled Sam urgently, not even trying to wriggle free of the cuffs.

"Ah, impatient, aren't we?" taunted Vlad. "Sam, if you prefer, I offer you a proposition."

"What is it?" she spat, her bangs blocking one violet eye.

"Sam, die, or help me kill Danny."

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO I'M NOT OKAY (I PROMISE):

Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say. I never want to let you down or have you go. It's better off this way. For all the dirty looks. The photographs your boyfriend took. Remember when you broke your foot from jumping out the second floor I'm not okay. You wear me out. What will it take to show you that it's not the life it seems. I've told you time and time again you sing the words but don't know. What it means. To be a joke and look. Another line without a hook. I held you close as we both shook. For the last time—take a good hard look. Forget about the dirty looks. The photographs your boyfriend took. You said you'd read me like a book. But the pages all are torn and frayed. Now I'm okay.

Chapter 5

Chapter 6: very soon, I have a lot of inspiration.

Oooh…award for biggest cliffhanger ever goes to: Straying Life! God, this one is killing me, too! I love this chapter, it's so intense. But the next few, we get really serious. The first 3 chapters were nothing, really. Chapter 6 is really going to break your hearts, 7 is going to startle you a lot, 8 is going to be another one that'll break your hearts, 9 is going to break your hearts, too, 10 is sad but also confusing as to why it's going on, and the last chapter, 11, is the worst one of them all. Just warning you. Chapter 4 was the start of the intense ride of this story. After this, everything is a random roller coaster.

Now, to tell you guys of my updates, here it is: M u r d e rer is soon, FMTMG has very little inspiration, but I will admit, chapter 2 is slightly hilarious. After that, though, augh. Anyway…Fusion has a lot of inspiration, but M ur d e rer and TCfSR have more. FF is to be continued really soon, like now, after I work on M u r d e rer and stuff. Yes.


	6. The Ghost of You

Man, I love this story so much! I've been dying to write this chapter! It's a favorite of mine! Purrbaby101, I checked out the lyrics to the Interlude. They have three lines and I've made the outline already a month in advance prior to the writing of this story, and I'm not about to change anything major. Sorry.

And don't mistake the chapter name/song title for the one by Good Charlotte. Good Charlotte's is "Ghost of You" but MCR's is "THE Ghost of You". Just clarifying, because I was confused when I saw the CD at first.

DISCLAIMER: really. I've said it five times, if you want it, go check out last chapter's.

RATED: T for slightly mature themes and language.

Pretype End: September 18, 2005, 2:43 am

Chapter 6

"The Ghost of You"

"No way, I'll die an eternity before I let you hurt him!" snarled Sam. Vlad just chuckled. He then looked up at her, a smile on his face.

"You're free to go, then!" he said.

"Really?" asked Sam cautiously.

"Yes, of course!" At this, the shackles dissolved into nothingness and Sam was free to go. But she couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. But she was free! FREE!

12345678987654321

Danny peered about the house cautiously, but it didn't show on his face. He jumped quickly into the cupboard and as he hit the hard wood of the cramped storage closet, it gave way and led to a gray room where no one could see its boundaries. Danny peered about the gray abyss; it was where he constantly went to think.

He took a seat on the ground, wherever it was, and looked up to the neutral endless ceiling, which seemed much more like a sky where one could look up and eventually see into heaven, where all their friends were.

He sighed; how could he have fallen for that trap? He was so stupid, and it was his entire fault it ever happened! However, another person breaking through the wood interrupted his thoughts. But how? It was impossible, he was the only one who knew of it!

In came Jazz, looking reproachfully at the empty boy before her. Jazz knew she could do something for him now, if he could just talk! If he talked about it, everything would be a lot better. She might not have been there, but it affected her, too. They may not have been as close, but they were close enough to be a pair of bickering siblings.

"Danny?" she asked gently, sitting at his side, touching his shoulder. He couldn't be strong now. "Are you okay?" Danny continued staring up into space as if she had never spoken.

Jazz looked up there. Maybe something was there. But alas, a world of neutral gray met her. She sighed deeply. "Danny, you can talk. That's why I'm here. You're forgetting. We were all like a family, and I deeply regret what happened also. Come on, I'm here for you."

Danny sighed and turned his head to her, the blue eyes that led straight to his soul empty. He began to explain.

"Jazz, you just don't understand. What happened was…"

_A breath of blue air released itself from Danny's throat as he walked slowly down the park, going over what had just happened a few hours ago with Sam and him. He looked up cautiously and transformed. He spotted several ghosts made just of ectoplasmic blobs. He jumped up in the air to fight them, suspended on their level when a voice called out._

"_DANNY!" it yelled. Danny turned around and saw Sam's wondrous face filled with worry. "LOOK—"_

_Too late. Danny's relief was enough distraction for the blob to slap him hard and send him plummeting into the ground. Through the path he created in the grass, he looked up at the female peering down worriedly at him and he felt a new determination to get rid of these ghosts. They apparently were tougher than one would think. _

_He flew up, a smirk on his face, but failed to see that the blob separated in two in his determination. Nonetheless he engaged in battle with the blob. He threw a punch at it, but it created a hole where his fist went through. The blob pounced on Danny and shot him down for a second before he became level again and shot a blast at it. It went intangible, and as Danny was gritting his teeth, his green eyes glowing more than ever through his stark white hair, another, pained yell, rang in his ears._

_And it angered him beyond anything. White-hot intense fury raged through him when he heard Sam cry out his name in pain. He flew at top speed to his princess to find that the second blob had attacked her. He immediately forgot about the ghosts and attended to Sam. _

_He checked her back. Her back was covered in red liquid, her clothes blasted through. She was getting drowsy, and checking her heartbeat, it was slower than it should have ever been. _

_In his arms, Sam looked at him lovingly, all her life in those amazing lavender eyes. She uttered a last phrase._

"_I love you, Danny," she said. And for the last time, she moved up to his face and connected their lips. His mouth was slightly cold, but she still gave all her emotion to him, since it wouldn't be there anymore. "Goodbye," she rasped._

_With that, her heart stopped. No more beats could be felt through her wrists or neck. Danny checked frantically everywhere on her limp body, shaking with terror. How could she have left him? Why did it happen? Why would anyone want to do that to such a sweet person? _

"_N-No, Sam," he whispered, a tear leaking out of his eye. "NOOOO!" he screamed to the heavens in the darkness of the night, ghosts raging through the air. _

"Oh, Danny," said Jazz, using all her might to refrain herself from hugging her little brother. He may have been nineteen, but inside, she knew that he no longer had an age. He stayed the same forever, and his best friend's departure made sure of it. "It's okay."

"No, it isn't." His voice sounded strangely grounded and solid. "It's my fault. All of it. Since the start. And I hope you don't kill me for…you know."

"No, I don't," said Jazz comfortingly. It soothed Danny to hear her speak like this, but his pain was overwhelming and pained him in every limb. "I've known for a while, Danny."

"What?" he asked incredulously. "All this time? I've been trying to hide it from you!"

"I've waited for the perfect time for you to tell me," said Jazz, still softly. "And why are you here, anyway? It took me a long while before I realized the cupboard."

What was he supposed to tell her? That he wanted to be alone, mourn his best friend in peace? That he wanted to be out of the sight of the human eye? That he wanted no one to worry about him so he could live an eternity in this large gray universe? That he wanted nothing more than to disappear on the spot? His best friend's life had been lost right in his hands a few days ago, and he wanted nothing more than to see her just once more. But that wouldn't be happening any time soon, would it?

"No reason."

"Danny, you can tell me exactly what you're thinking. It helps a lot just to talk about it. Half the time, in bed, I talk to the air just to make myself feel better." Danny sighed. Jazz just wouldn't give up, would she?

"I just want to be left alone. My best friend's blood is in my hands and Tucker is doing who knows what now. I really don't care."

"Something else happened. What?" said Jazz sternly. She swore she could see the corners of Danny's mouth curl up in the tiniest bit.

"I went straight to Sam after I was let out. But then I walked in and some guy Trey and Sam were making out. Sam didn't remember me. It wasn't until I nearly flew out that she noticed it was me." Danny nearly choked on his own tongue while speaking. Just thinking about it was painful.

"Anything else on your mind?" asked Jazz gently, peering into his face, but he turned it away before she could.

"I think I should run away," said Danny, "chaos follows me everywhere, might as well give it to someone who deserves it. That's not anyone here."

"No, Danny!" cried Jazz. "You are not going to run away. Do you know how much I missed you last year? When I saw you come back home depressed, I felt so bad and guilty that you felt so terrible when you came home after being let out after a few days."

Danny merely shrugged and silence fell as the both of them stared deeply into the grayness of the room, or rather, space. At long last, when a disturbing buzz filled both their ears, Danny turned his head toward Jazz and spoke.

"You knew all the time?"

"Yes, Danny."

"I can't believe it! I was so frustrated the whole time! You could have offered me advice, you're the multi-tasking one!" yelled Danny.

"Danny, I don't understand," choked Jazz. She hated it when he nearly assaulted her immediately. She felt so guilty all the time.

"You could have helped me, but no, you just went along, blathering about Harvard, Princeton, or another Ivy League college!" he burst out. Jazz bit her lip and willed herself not to cry. It was her turn to be strong.

"Danny, I tried my best without letting you on!" she managed to speak, swallowing her sorrows for a split second.

"Oh, yeah, you could have told me! All this time, I was practically picking fights with you when you already knew!" he yelled angrily, his eyes not lit up with anger or an emotion, but they were most certainly empty in such a way that put Jazz through a guilt trip.

"Please, Danny, I didn't want to startle you!" she cried.

"Sure!" he grumbled. Jazz bit her lip so hard an irony substance fell on her tongue. She had begun bleeding on her lower lip from biting down too hard. A single tear ran down her cheek slowly and crossed the corner of her mouth. Once the droplet hit the ground, several more were on their way.

Jazz looked at her disgruntled brother and ran out frustrated from her depressed brother, breaking back into the cupboard. She burst out and ran up the stairs into her room, shutting the door with a loud slam.

Danny stayed, though, wondering about it all. Would he see Sam again? The love of his life, the center of his whole purpose on the earth…gone. And Tucker…now he had no one, not even his sister. He remembered a year ago that his bloody sister clutched on to his shirt while he held it in, looking at Tucker being attended to in the hospital. He could still feel where she grasped him and he felt his hand burn where it had smoothed her hair in an attempt to calm her.

Now…now he could do nothing but be a walking storm. All the smiles ever shot at him, ever aimed at him, meant nothing to him, they were just hollow, pitiful greetings. He literally poisoned the day of people and brought gloom with him wherever he stepped. Normally, that would have bothered him…but now, he didn't really care. He may have even been happy with the idea.

Danny stood up abruptly, ignoring the dizziness and urge to fall over that came from standing up too quickly. He made a silent vow in the neutrality of the cove to never be caught…ever. Not by a ghost hunter, not by a ghost itself. He'd always have the first and last move, and he'd never fall down. Ever.

But was tripping over the loss of his beloved a good reason to fall?

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO THE GHOST OF YOU:

I never said I'd lie in wait forever. If I died we'd be together. I can't always just forget her. But she could try. At the end of this world or the last thing I see. You are never coming home. Could I? Should I? And all the things that you never ever told me. And all the smiles that are ever ever. Ever. Get the feeling that you're never. All alone and I remember now. At the top of my lungs in my arms. She dies. She dies. At the end of the world. Or the last thing I see. You are never coming home. Could I? Should I? And all the wounds that are ever gonna scar me. And all the ghosts that are never gonna catch me. If I fall down.

Chapter 6

Chapter 7: not now…

My eyes sting…I want sleep! This chapter isn't as intense, but the main thing of it is Sam's death. I bet you all were like, "WHAT?" at the start of the chapter when Vlad released Sam. Heh.

I want to thank KatrinaKaiba for always being the first reviewer for all these chapters. I just put up chapter 5 and about 5 minutes later, my Yahoo! IM is telling me that I got a review on it! I was like "KatrinaKaiba" when I saw the subject in my inbox! This chapter is dedicated to you!

UPDATE SOON: A Chevron Off (NEW!), Naquida (NEW!), M u r d e rer, Colliding of Two Forces, Following Me To My Grave, D e a t h is But The Next Greatest Adventure, Ten Years, Burn It All (NEW!), Warmth (NEW!), Fusion.

TODAY: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, Franz Ferdinand.

Now, I need some help with M u r d e rer! I need help with the depiction of the trial…please review this story and then that one with details on the trial.

As for CoTF, chapter 4 is in the making, right now at page 3. But I'm also planning to put in a lot in that chapter: meaning, Diagon Alley and the train to Hogwarts. So, it'll take a bit. Sorry! And this chapter was typed up the same day as chapter 5. Only thing is, I'm holding off for the cliffhanger.


	7. The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You

Ack…life sucks. My school is already at mid-marking period! HELLO? It's only the fourth damn week of September! How does THAT logic work? And more on school, which actually rules: my school is following in Life Lesson's track! Yes, we have to take care of hard-boiled eggs for our Adolescence class…I'm not in that class yet, but it's really funny!

I really need to get a locker transfer…it makes me late to the following classes: Homeroom, Block 1, and Block 4. Yeah, I asked for one and they said I might get one if they have enough lockers on my level. Until then, I'm screwed.

And as for Identity Crisis…yeah, I saw the premiere, for once…I kept it on half-mute for the whole thing because the two sides of him really scared me… "Fizzling phantoms!" I seriously worry about it…I mean, hero Danny was overly clichéd, seemed slightly self-centered, and wore a bed sheet as a CAPE. And I liked how regular Danny had longer hair…man, that's hot! But he scared me with his laziness…quite funny, though. But overall…I was creeped out.

DISCLAIMER: no, I own neither. Sorry. Get rights of DP to me for my birthday, though!

RATED: T for slightly mature themes and language.

Pretype End: September 23, 2005, 11:56 pm

Chapter 7

"The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You"

Danny, thinking deeply about what life really was, flew out of his room, sighing with disappointment…Sam was gone, gone for God's sake! He couldn't believe he had actually lived a full month without Sam. The complete love of his life, the one person who really scaled higher than anyone else he had ever known was erased completely from the face of the earth…it seemed like the only person who even remembered her now was Danny.

But he wasn't out here flying for no reason; he sensed a ghost, and ghost activity just surged after that session with Jazz. And Danny wasn't about to break the vow he made last week.

His eyes scanned the sky, ground, and heavens—Danny teared a bit in desperate hope Sam was somewhere better, like in heaven—, looking for the ghost. He was just about to land and change back when a voice rang out in its regular annoyance.

"I am the Box Ghost! I have come to warn you that Ms. Gr—" said Box Ghost in his usual silly drawl. Danny couldn't stand him at all anymore; how could he be so cheerful when his best friend just died? How could he be so happy when Sam, his Sam, was brutally hurt and ripped away from him?

But before he could finish his warning, a magenta beam shot out and burned him as he jumped along unhappily. A young woman of his age flew by on a metal dashboard, wearing a dark maroon suit that fully covered not only her body, but also her head. Her whole head was covered in fabric, even her mouth, but a visor to see through was placed midway through the face fabric.

"Are you going to just float there or are you going to fight like the little ghost ass you are?" snarled the girl. She pointed the gun at him angrily, about to shoot. All Danny did was, from his just chosen sulking position where his head stared down at the ground, tilt it towards her, still down, and looked at her unemotionally.

Valerie was thrown off a bit. She had never seen the ghost so lost in his mind. She was used to the boy fighting with spirit and a smirk to taunt. Not look as if his best friend had died. But did his best friend or relative die? No, he was a ghost, how could that happen? But could ghosts fall into depression?

Danny sighed and said loudly, "What do you want?" His voice had never been emptier. It wasn't upset or angry, but just plain gone; the usual spirit and teenage tone to it was gone.

"What do you think I want?" snarled the girl, regaining composure. She switched modes on her gun and shot, a pink net catching the distant-thinking ghost, his green eyes dull, but motioning that he was watching the horizon. He didn't even contract; he just stayed there, trapped in the net as if it never happened.

What had happened to him? The ghost she knew would never do that! He'd fight for his freedom and chaotic rights! Valerie actually felt his pain for a while; when you lose the will to be free or don't even care, there's something wrong, and that was universal, deceased or not. Valerie knew that, and the ghost knew that.

Danny spoke up, not shifting his gaze as the girl approached him, still pointing several weapons at him. "Who are you?" As the girl attached him tightly to the board, she couldn't help but wonder…didn't he already know? He was the one who pulled off her mask during Pariah's temporary rule.

12345678987654321

Danny sighed, doing contortions inside the small, cramped plastic box the girl had trapped him in. He really didn't care. This wasn't nearly as painful as…as what had happened to Sam. By now, he was used to this sort of pain and he honestly didn't care. The only thing he didn't like about this situation was he had broke his own promise.

He had fallen.

But was it okay to fall when you didn't know who your enemy was?

No, he decided. It was your entire fault, Fenton. But what does blame matter now? None. So deal.

Danny sighed again as the girl approached with a sharp knife gripped tightly in her palm. She, with a blank face, gripped it harder as she swung it forward into the box. She increased the force and the knife pierced the box, creating a hole that let in air, forgetting Danny didn't need it.

Would that mean he was on the same plane as Sam? No, because he could still return to the realm of the living, return to the world of pain and happiness that never existed. Then, he realized there was only pain in the world; happiness was pain on such a high degree that it actually made people delusional for a while. But really, what did it matter? Anything about life was not worth without…Sam. And it was his fault about her.

Valerie knew that the box was not ghost-proof, but in the mood and depression the ghost boy was in, she didn't think he'd need it. So, she set down her gun on the weapons table in her room and pulled off her mask from the terrible heat her father's air conditioning bills had imposed. She turned around to the box ghost boy was in, her hair falling behind her and her eyes finally seeing the real shades of the world.

So this was who his hunter was. He had forgotten after the worrying, deep thinking, and torture the jail had put him through. Valerie was his hunter and honestly, he couldn't care less; so what? They didn't go to school together anymore, did they? No, so what did it matter? He didn't even care if she found out about him, because the fate that had met his darling sweetheart was the worst that could befall the two of them. And Sam was lucky in the sense that…she wasn't weighed down by human guilts and pains anymore, so she could soar freely while Danny was chained down to the earth with all of these whelps.

He just wanted to leave, to get the same fate Sam did so they could live happily forever as angels or demons or ghosts in bliss…and even if they never did make it to that point, Danny would still be content with the idea that he had left whatever was left for him on this land. He just wanted to pull the plug on his time when someone pulled his angel's and lie still in that coffin beside her, his eyes closed blissfully in an eternal sleep, dreaming or living in a different form with her. They should have gone together.

"I've finally caught you ghost boy, any last words?" said Valerie, her hand resting strongly on her most dangerous gun. Danny budged just a bit hollowly and Valerie immediately had the firearm resting on her shoulder, finger on the trigger.

"What do you want?" asked Danny emptily.

"I want you! I want to cause you as much pain as possible for messing up my life!" seethed Valerie. Danny couldn't take what she said; didn't the materialist pig realize there were worse things than going bankrupt? She could have died painfully, lost her soul or sanity, lost everything she really had: her sweetheart and family. Danny already lost one and almost lost another. He almost lost his sanity and was still only just grasping it.

Danny's body lost touch with the earth. It faded, almost looking like the wind was slowly, gently, encouragingly pushing him into the wind, his particles mixing with that of the air. It was a great feeling, or pain to a great extent, to feel the earth's natural resources—or what's left of it—to combine with one, to pour through him.

Danny, now intangible, flew to Valerie, grasping her tightly around the shoulders, his mouth close to her ear, using the ever-popular ghost power where the ghost can touch the other being but the being can't touch the ghost.

"There are worse things than losing money, you know," he hissed emptily like a vampire but without a will for life. Valerie grasped her shoulders desperately as Danny faded into view the same way he disappeared, Valerie still not able to grasp his hands.

"You could have lost everything you really have," he hissed gently in a way that Valerie nearly expected a smug smirk that would no longer ever exist on his pale, emotionless face, still hissing in such an empty tone that it seemed menacing.

"You could have lost your sanity, everyone's trust, your life, your soul, your dear sweetheart. A million things that are worse than what you have," said Danny. "I've spent the past year in a prison for a crime I never committed. I've lost at least 10 times more than what you have. I've lost my friends, my girlfriend who I found kissing another guy just the other day, and I'm pretty sure my family's next. So why do you want revenge when you've lost nothing?" asked Danny in the same snake-like hissing tone, now whispering gently in her other ear, almost in a way that would seem like flirting, but given the current circumstances, would not even stray into either one's mind.

Valerie squeaked, frightened, desperately trying to grasp at the ghost boy but couldn't. The grip tightened around her shoulders a bit more. The hiss came into her left ear, some gentle, cold breath of his tone tickling the inside hauntingly.

"Awww, sugar," it hissed as empty as ever. It scared her now half-to-death. "Slip into this tragedy you've spun this chamber dry."

With that, Danny faded away again, bits of his form blowing into the wind, his image blending with the background, eventually blowing with the sudden cold burst of wind. The grip on Valerie disappeared slowly, just as Danny had faded and the cold breeze raised goosebumps on her skin, which was still in the suit.

With that, Valerie fell to the ground in desperation, fear, and sadness. She was all alone in her room, collapsed on her side in the window's rays, which were blocked by the shades, several cracks and holes in the room patched up with wood, the damage still showing through.

She silently cried there, legs sprawled out, arms tucked in, tears pouring endlessly out of her, not caring if she was forgotten like an old rag doll a small child used to play with.

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO THE JETSET LIFE IS GONNA KILL YOU:

Gaze into her killing jar I'd sometimes stare for hours. She even poked the holes so I can breathe. She bought the last line. I'm just the worst kind. Of guy to argue. With what you might find. And for the last night I lie. Could I lie with you? Give up. Get down. It's just the hardest part of living. She wants. It all. To come down this time. Lost in the prescription she's got something else in mind. Check into the hotel Bella Muerte. It gives the weak flight. It gives the blind sight. Until the cops come. Or by the last light. And for the last night I lie. Could I lie next to you? Pull the plug. But I'd like to learn your name. And holding on. Well I hope you do the same. Awww sugar. Slip into this tragedy you've spun this chamber dry.

Chapter 7

Chapter 8: expect it soon.

Oh. My. God. It turned out so different! If anyone figured out the symbolism of Valerie's room by not reading the next sentence, please say so! The symbolism of Valerie's room is that the patches of the holes that are still showing and the hidden sun represent what's happening in the story. It's such an in-depth chapter. I love how I made Danny do that! And to anyone who thinks that was out of character on Danny's part, think about it! Don't flame me for his OOC-ness, because I purposely made it that way!

Well, we've only got five chapters left to go. Next chapter title: "Thank You For The Venom." Oooh…this is going to end nicely! Oh, and this chapter was typed up the same day 6 was posted.

UPDATE LIST

SOON: please, don't rush me. School and swim team are already pushing my sleep schedule…talk midnight as a regular bedtime!

TODAY: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge


	8. Thank You For the Venom

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update! But I'm getting, like, 20 new books (YAY obsession!) and my school is doing a program for my grade where we get to go to the CNBC station for a few weeks, and I can't pass that up! PLUS I just got another idea for a book, much more mature than my Test Subject series. It's called Orange. And although I'm only writing chapter 1 (hey, there's a prologue!), I love it already! It was partially inspired by this story, so if you ever find that book out, you might end up feeling the same way you did with this story. That is, if you read it.

AND why is no one looking? I know I'm doing very mean things, but hey, one day, you are going to see something really bad happen, and you know, it's not always that great. I'm not particularly happy with this story either; while I finished typing up chapters 4, 6, 7, and now this one, I felt totally guilty and sick for what I was doing, so please look and review!

NOTE: someone pointed out to me that O was the only blood type that could take its own, so chapter 1 will be edited when this is finished, and Tucker's blood type is NOW O. Sorry, I'm an astronomy geek, not biology!

DISCLAIMER: I'm sorry; I didn't invent MCR or DP!

RATED: T for mature themes, blood, and language (ah, it's highe !).

Chapter 8

"Thank You For The Venom"

Tucker sat on the couch, thinking his choice over. What could he do? The world was entirely fake, and at any moment, the sky could rip open and take his life away. The sky could take away everyone who had ever mattered to him easily, so why stay and wait it out? Why stay and handle the pain when he could just leave them all and not endure the illusions?

He was entirely shaken, he could not go a minute without thinking…what if it had been real? What if that knife he held really was in his hand? What if Danny and Sam really were in that little pool of their internal liquid? What if it all had happened?

But it was partially true. Sam's fate in his dream had come true. It had been several months without the girl and nothing seemed right without her. And Tucker kept feeling as if her loss of life was all his fault for knowing what was to come and not doing anything about it.

He didn't want it. Who would? Life was not worth all the pain and he knew this well enough. He was not going to deny it, for it would make the illusion life just that much more delirious than it already was.

He still remembered Sam's funeral. He had a last chance to see her and his hopes that she died quietly were squashed. He saw her whole body, lips still slightly smiling, covered in red liquid, much of it dried in the coffin. It pained him greatly to see this, his best friend like that. Was life enjoyable that way? What was life like bleeding on the floor? Not good, he thought, but if I end up that way, it's for the better.

It was decided, then.

He was to leave, leave his terrorized thoughts, leave his nightmares, leave behind all the illusion one had to get past to really live up in heaven. He knew it was worth it. If he stayed long enough. If anyone gave him a truly good or beautiful reason to stay on the worthless chunk of dirt, he'd take it. But no one offered it, and so he was going to die quietly, leaving everyone clueless.

Tucker knew he kept some of his needed things up in his room. Yes, he was paranoid, but an anonymous person had once mailed him some of these strange things as a joke. But he never threw them out, being the humorous guy he was.

This wasn't funny, and it never would be. This was a matter of staying or running. Tucker picked running. He rummaged through the boxes in his closet, finding the one he needed. He carefully lifted the shoebox lid from it, peering inside at the objects he'd last see on this earth.

He took all of its contents and, in frenzy, ran to the park. He knew no one was ever there, and he wouldn't be interrupted with his sealed fate. Tucker picked a quiet spot in the park, one only he and Danny knew about.

Tucker took the vial, looking at it eye level. Just the right amount. He uncorked the vial, smelling the fumes from the liquid. Very intoxicating, and that was good in his case. Please, just take me out soon, he thought.

"Thank you for the venom," he muttered almost as if a toast at a dinner party, downing the green poison as quickly as he could. There was no taste, and it just added to the benefits of it.

He began getting dizzy. His legs were bound to collapse under him, he knew it. The world was spinning, and his head hurt like hell. Soon, his whole body began to ache uncontrollably and he fell into a deep pit of heat, unable to get out of it.

The last thing he saw…a person.

12345678987654321

Danny was out for a walk again in the park, strolling in the area he and Tucker had founded themselves. Sam would've loved this area. He should've shown it to her before…it. But it was too late, and the best he could now do for her is walk down this path, try to show her something on his account and hope she was watching over him.

Something rustled ominously in the grass. He suddenly grew wary; was it Valerie? Or perhaps someone just waiting to beat him up?

Someone dropped to the ground! Who else could be here? Danny rushed to the other side, regardless. If someone dropped to the ground, someone was injured. No matter what. And he would not let what happened to his Sam happen to anyone else.

The other side, the grass, revealed an African American boy his age. Red beret. Cargo pants. Yellow shirt. Tucker.

Tucker was lying on the grass, coughing violently, some red liquid spurting out of his dry lips. His eyes were squeezed shut and he moaned loudly, as if complaining to the heavens. Soon, he was coughing up blood violently, some of it caking on his lips.

"Tucker!" murmured Danny, running over to him and staring him in the eyes through his large glasses. He would not let anyone else die the way his dear Sammy did.

Danny looked around for the cause of this and found a box. A box that he remembered. It contained a gun with one bullet, a vial of poison, and a bottle of pills. Yet, he had no idea who had sent it.

"Damn you to hell, Dash."

That was all he said before sweeping Tucker into his arms and pocketing the weapons. With tears slowly trickling down his face, he pulled Tucker into the hospital. His whole world was slowly falling apart, and the longer it took, the more painful it was. He wanted out as well, and was not both surprised and not surprised by Tucker's actions. Unfortunately, he couldn't do the same. Sam wouldn't want it, and she was the only reason he was still living, alive or not.

He managed to pull Tucker into the hospital before he suffered from major blood loss. However, he thought he was near that point, and therefore rushed him into emergency.

Tucker coughed up a large deal of blood as he walked in. Several nurses swarmed him and pulled him into a room, leaving Danny to himself to wallow in his mind. Everyone in his life was soon going to be lost in the Ghost Zone as ghosts. Everyone was falling apart and drifting off into sea, each little iceberg not daring to get near the other.

A broken family is horrible.

A broken relationship is worse.

12345678987654321

Danny had overheard the conversation between the doctors as he tried to sleep overnight at the hospital, but Sam's spirit, it seemed, now lived in him and haunted him for leaving her to go.

"What? Again?" said the doctor.

"Yes, again. We need it now!" said the nurse urgently.

"But we're running out!"

"We're not going to lose this boy!" she argued.

"He wanted to lose himself!"

"But that was probably spur of the moment! If we don't help, everyone he knows will seriously regret it!"

"Alright. But we barely have enough for him, let alone the other patients. And more blood will not be coming until next month!"

"We'll just have to make do."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm always sure." But the doctor never heard the second part: "For the most part."

12345678987654321

Tucker had been in intensive care for a while again. A week later, he woke up in a hospital gown, surprised that he was able to wake up. His mind had still not changed, and was quite off that Danny had brought him in. Why couldn't he just leave him to go down in the park all alone where no one would find him? He wanted to be lost, totally lost, totally out of the way of the horrible land, and Danny couldn't respect it!

All alone. The clock read seven in the morning. No visitors. Perfect. Another chance to do it, and this time he didn't care. He wanted to leave, and this time, no one would stop him! The torture would end, he'd leave, and join Sam up in that big cloud in Heaven!

Tucker shakily stepped out of the bed, shivering in the breeze from the open window. But he ignored it. He rummaged in his pant pocket, now hanging on the chair for visitors, and found a box of pills. He smiled.

"Sayonara, everyone," he muttered, taking out five of the aspirins. Going into the bathroom, he downed them all at once, drowning them in tap water. Once again, he became woozy as he stepped out. Moaning, he fell to the ground in sick, twisted happiness.

He writhed in pain, but felt no movement again. If he was supposed to have gone by now, why could he still feel the pain?

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO THANK YOU FOR THE VENOM:

Sister, I'm not much a poet but a criminal. And you never had a chance. Love it or leave it you can't understand. A pretty face but you do so carry on. I wouldn't front the scene if you paid me. I'm just the way that the doctor made me. On and on. Love is the red the rose on your coffin door. What's life like bleeding on the floor? You'll never make me leave. I wear this on my sleeve. Give me a reason to believe. So gimme all your poison. And gimme all your pills. And gimme all your hopeless hearts and make me ill. You're running after something that you'll never k i l l. If this is what you want. Then fire at will. Preach all you want but who's gonna save me? I keep a gun on the book you gave me. Hallelujah lock and load. Black is the kiss the touch of a serpent son. It ain't the mark or the scar that makes you one. Fire at will.

Chapter 8

Chapter 9: sometime…

I officially dislike myself for this chapter. It totally sucks. It's basically a filler that shows Tucker's status and what happened. Yeah, that high-happy dream actually had a purpose. (GASP!) Please tell me what you thought of it, this story is going through editing later because I love it so much!

Refer to Scrapes and Scratches for my plans of November (SORRY!) and also for Coming Soon and Today fiction stories, because I'm too lazy right now. Sorry. Be glad I updated.


	9. Hang 'Em High

ACK! I'm so sorry everyone! Between SAT spazzing, midterm spazzing (results should come in…), spazzing about my grades (I think I'm gonna get a B in math and English! HELP!), spazzing about my suckish swim meet results, and spazzing about learning how to read, play, and recognize the upper register on my clarinet, I don't have time for writing anymore. This SO sucks.

In response to josh111888…you're right, but let's make him one of two things: a scammer of a doctor (ooh, got a twist…I'm thinkin' sequel!), or an extremely lazy one. Whichever works. We'll see how it comes out in editing.

DISCLAIMER: no. No.

RATED: T for slightly mature themes, mention of b l o o d, and language.

Chapter 9

"Hang 'Em High"

It had been a month after Tucker's release from the hospital. He was under watch after attempting s u i c i d e twice. He was allowed out twice a day, both usually to see Danny.

Life just wasn't the same anymore, and it was clear for both of them. Tucker's view on anything was just dangerous, and Danny couldn't lift himself out of Depression's grip. Together, the both of them could overcome anything. But without Sam…without Sam, it was a different story.

On one of these days, Danny and Tucker took a stroll through the park after Danny checked Tucker for anything he might use. Tucker agreed without opinion to have Danny follow him everywhere.

"So…how's it over at your house?" asked Tucker. Conversations became awkward and boring after Tucker's _incident_.

Danny shrugged. "The usual. Jazz trying to get me out of my 'stupor' while she's in one herself…Mom's going crazy because of me…Dad…well, I haven't seen him in a few days. He's been in the lab all the time working."

Tucker nodded, eyes focused on his shoes. "Hmm. Mom's breaking down. She thinks I'm going insane. Wants me in an asylum. Dad keeps yelling at me. Says life is too valuable to throw away. I begged to differ."

Danny nodded himself, eyes on sneakers. They took a step forward into a crazy game most called life. It was like a video game, and someone was controlling him, purposely trying out different paths like outfits and see where it took him. Truth was, Danny couldn't reset his life and start anew. What happened happened, and he was stuck with his past sins. And Tucker's soul on his hands.

The last thing he wanted was a ghost to come out. This was his only time with Tucker. Sighing, a wisp of blue smoke streamed out of his mouth and Danny looked at it without a word.

"Damn. Can you wait for a bit?" asked Danny. He became his counterpart and flew up, his eyes staring out into oblivion trying to find whoever dared come up to him. Especially after _Sam_. His sorrow for her had turned into rage when it came to ghosts. The vile creatures—no, they didn't even deserve to be called creatures—had cost everyone her life and Danny's sanity.

Finally, a ghost came out. It was Technus.

"I, Technus, master of all things electronic and metal, have come to _destroy you_!" he said. Danny stared at him, thinking that he and the Box Ghost became more and more similar by the day.

"Would you shut the hell up!" he growled, making a statement, not asking a question. Technus, taken by surprise, looked bewilderedly at Danny before getting punched so hard he was thrown away into the horizon, no longer visible. Danny was about to land by Tucker, who even cracked a small smile…the video game, the Axion space orbiter…good times. Good, but naïve times.

Before Danny could land, Valerie came into the picture with her large, bulking guns and hoverboard.

"I'm takin' you down once and for all!" she shrieked. She was literally radiating her anger now; impatience got the better of her. Danny could tell…she didn't care who she got anymore. She needed to get rid of her rage, rage that was pent up for five years, and she didn't care who she was going to hit.

Valerie pulled out her large bazooka and began shooting green ectoplasmic goo at Danny, who avoided it all over the park. Tucker didn't move. He just stared, his face blank.

"Tucker, get the hell out of the way!" shrieked Danny.

"Don't you dare talk to him!" replied Valerie with a rather aggressive shot. Danny avoided it by just a smidge.

Danny separated into three, a power he had finally mastered the year before. His first form floated around her, stopping at short intervals. His second and third began to try and dismantle the gun and board. Unfortunately, Valerie was above that.

She swung the gun forcefully, Danny's third form slipping off but quickly regaining composure. His second was flung off and nearly hit the ground but then flew at a mild speed of 134 miles per hour and banged his fist against the board, leaving a heavy dent and a more than shaken—and enraged—Valerie.

Valerie shot again. Danny avoided it and his second form continued hitting the board. A slight telepathic connection between the three forms grew and the third caught on to the second's idea. He badgered Valerie every second he could, and the first form flew around the park spontaneously but still within view. Valerie shot wherever she could as fast as she could. Soon enough, she lost balance and the board overthrew her, crumpled into aluminum, and plummeted her into the ground.

"PHANTOM! You just wait, I'll get you and your freaking little ass soon!" she screeched. Her voice was high and unnatural; it was almost as if she was overshadowed by some extreme force in her body causing her to be more ambitious—for lack of a better word—to catch her target.

Danny knew this was trouble as he became one again. Tucker still didn't move, and just watched the trash heap on top of Valerie. Soon enough, it melted away and there Valerie stood, hands clenched into a fist that could probably crush diamonds, one about to break the large ecto-gun her hand gripped. Her finger was shaking as if she had drunk too much caffeine and was itching to press it. But she held herself, gritting her teeth. At last, when she thought the ghost teen was off-guard, she shot.

In the silence of the afternoon, the shot resonated like metal falling from the Empire State Building onto solid pavement, echoing in Danny's mind, coated with despair. He managed to create a shield that just barely saved him, but knew that he was no longer safe.

"GET OVER HERE!" she shrieked. Danny flew away, near Tucker, one leg bent up as if to taunt her. His facial expression had nothing on it. Just a look of determination to show Valerie what losing things of value really was like.

At the last possible minute, she shot again when he was near to the ground. Danny managed to avoid it. But the shot was headed for Tucker now.

"TUCKER! GET AWAY!" he yelled, tears threatening to burst through his eyes.

He finally saw Danny's alarm and looked forward, the first major emotion showing. His eyes grew wide at the large shot headed his way. He opened his mouth to scream, but the shot caught him and pinned him to the ground. He was unconscious and covered in a highly rare form of ectoplasm. Danny had seen it around—it stung ghosts, but killed humans. Danny bit his lip, salty tears of loss rolling down his pale, cold face. Valerie ran over, her gun, her protection, dropped.

She finally realized what she had done. She had released her anger on someone who didn't deserve it.

Danny stood up, his entire body shaking. Not from rage, not from sorrow, but a strange combination of both.

"You!" he said dangerously. "You…just killed…" He had trouble getting the last words out; the whole thing was strange and surreal to him now. "My…my best friend!"

"What? But you're a ghost, ghosts don't have friends, family, emotions…" Valerie reeled off into a description of what humans had that ghosts didn't, all the while wrapped in confusion.

"Ghosts…have friends…ghosts…are people…who have died…the imprint of their old personality. And you just killed my last remaining friend!" he said, still shaking. Tears were falling to the ground, sizzling. First, Sam…he knew that he shouldn't do this…Sammy wouldn't want it…but he had to do it…because now…now, everyone who cared was up watching him, and he had nothing left to do but waste his last years on earth trying to make contact with them.

"How? I mean, I knew he was friends with _Fenton_, but…not possible! The Fentons would've forbidden it, I mean…" Valerie trailed off, and before she could finish, she found herself lying on the ground with a numb cheek.

She bit her lip, afraid of what was to come. She didn't even feel it, really, because before she knew it, there was a flash of black and white. And…the most startling color she had ever seen in her life: a shocking neon green that reminded her what she had done…and why.

When Danny left the area, nothing but an unconscious woman and the corpse of his best friend were left on the soft green grass, sprawled and on their backs. He imagined that it was painful when it happened. Then again, he didn't remember a time when he felt a lot of pain. Or much else, for that matter.

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO HANG 'EM HIGH:

Wait until it fades to black. Ride into the sunset. Would I lie to you? Well I've got something to say. Grab your six-gun from your back. Throttle the ignition. Would I die for you? Well here's your answer in spades. Shotgun sinners, wild-eyed jokers. Got you in my sights. Gun it while I'm holding on. After all is said and done. Climb out from the pine box well I'm asking you. Cuz she's got nothing to say. The angels just cut out her tongue. Call her black Mariah. Would I lie to you? That girl's not right in the brain. Mass convulsions. Strike the choir. By the grace of God. Gun it while I'm holding on but. Don't stop. If I fall. And don't look back. Don't stop bury me and fade to black. She won't stop me put it down.

Chapter 9

Chapter 10: not now…

Wow. The second climax of the story. The third is in the last chapter. Purrbaby101, please, do NOT read the lyrics to the last chapter, because it'll spoil it all for you. Everyone else, please, don't find them…because you will be ultimately _shocked_ by my conclusion.

And how ironic is this chapter? I just noticed it; extremely. It's not even funny ironic. It's crazy ironic. Too close for comfort ironic.


	10. INAFSIAFD

Welcome! After this, two chapters left to our 3rd climax—and the end of this story. I personally like this story. A lot. This is going to be a really fun chapter to type up. Keep in mind here: MAJOR TIME LAPSE.

DISCLAIMER: no. And I don't own MCR, either.

RATED: T for language, mature themes, and slight violence.

Chapter 10

"It's Not A Fashion Statement, It's a F---ing Deathwish"

24-year-old Danny walked through the door of his home. He immediately ran into his room. The second he closed the door, he almost collapsed on the floor…the way Sammy did…pain…

Soon enough, though, rage consumed him, eating away at the man like a manifestation. Seething, his knees almost buckled. His hands, itching, grabbed at the first thing that they could.

"Why—"

The book landed on the wall, sliding onto the floor helplessly.

"Did—"

His briefcase broke apart, its contents crumpled.

"You—"

His fist made contact with the wall, creating a hole, dark and black just like he was after the both of them left him in the dust.

"LEAVE ME!" he screamed. He punched one last time and fell hopelessly on the bed, choking down tears, gasping for air. His voice was cracking.

"Why…?"

His stomach raised and lowered the way Sammy's used to. His arms twitched, not knowing how to act. His legs…he couldn't feel them. Tears blinded him, and all he could see was what he always saw behind life: a blurred mass of colors and events.

At that moment, he swore he could feel cold lips press against his own…just like…that last night he saw her talk. _Her_.

"Sam…" he muttered, the tears rolling onto the bedsheets. Soon, a figure appeared in front of him, almost completely transparent.

"Shhh…" she murmured, holding him close in an embrace, ruffling his hair the way she did ten years ago. "Shhh…it's okay…"

"No, it's not!" he screamed. "It's not okay…" he began sobbing uncontrollably again. "Why did you leave me?"

"I never did…"

"Sam…I've tried…I've tried my hardest…to…to do it…and lost…lost _him_." Danny hugged her back. "It isn't temporary anymore…the damage…"

"Sam, I've missed you so much…why did you leave me? WHY?" he shouted, suddenly consumed with rage again. Sam was wearing the same shade of red on her back where she was hit as the shade of red on Danny's walls in splatters. She didn't notice it, but Danny had scars. Not from battle…but intentional ones on his wrists.

"I never did…"

"You…I want you…please!" he cried. Danny stared into her eyes. All that was left of them now was Sam, him, and her now starless eyes. He wanted so badly to have Sam back…he'd give anything…he'd tried to give everything he had.

"I loved you, Sam. I loved you…" he pressed closer to her, protective of his self.

"I still love you, Danny…I still do," she whispered, holding him closer.

"Oh, Sam…" he muttered, his eyes shut and his tears caking on his face, "I wish that that hole…I was put in…was deeper…because somehow…someway…I crawled out…" Danny no longer moved. All Sam could hear was his chest rising, and the beating of his heart. She wanted to have the things he had so badly, so desperately…and yet…

"Danny…shhh…I'll be around…you're running out of places…"

"To hide from me…Sammykins…" he sobbed. "You're all I've cared for…you're my life..."

"It's okay, Danny…be strong…don't listen to anyone…be your own person…" muttered Sam into his ear. Her hair fell onto his face, and he could smell the same Aloe Vera shampoo she used the day she left him on Earth.

"Those lights, Sammy," he cried, dampening her black shirt that had already been cried into, "they were my last saving grace. They didn't tell me…what I needed…they didn't save me…"

"Danny…this is the hardest part…the challenge…take it…because I don't want to see you because you came purposely…"

"Sam…everyone…" He gasped for breath. "In the end…everyone…will fall…apart…just like the leaves…changing color…" He clutched at her desperately.

"It's okay…everything will be okay…it's all a dream…remember that…" she muttered. Danny was clutching ever harder.

"I've…I've lost my fear of falling…this isn't a fashion statement at all, Sammy…it's a freakin' deathwish…my last wish…"

"No, Danny…no, it isn't…" Sam was horrified. This couldn't be Danny. It couldn't be Danny. Her Danny was fine…emotionally stable…but this man. He wanted to go away, disappear from the earth forever.

"Danny…just follow your heart…and everything will be fine," she said, whispering the last part. She leaned in and gave the crying man the last kiss he would ever receive because she wouldn't be able to come back after this.

_Just follow your heart and everything will be fine…_ she had said. Danny stared in awe as his sweetheart melted away into air. He heard the last statement repeated again and again, his lips tingling and his face pained from the tears.

"But what if you don't have one anymore?" he mutte , s resting on the soft bed, wishing he would just sink into it forevermore.

From that moment on, Danny knew what he had to do. He knew his last duty as his saving grace left.

But he wasn't prepared to face it.

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO IT'S NOT A FASHION STATEMENT, IT'S A F---ING DEATHWISH:

Do you remember when we met you told me this gets harder. Well it did. Been holding on forever. Promise me that when I'm gone you'll kill my enemies. The damage you've inflicted. Temporary wounds. I'm coming back from the dead. And I'll take you home with me. I'm taking back the life you stole. We never got that far. This helps me to think all through the night. Bright lights that won't kill me now. Or tell me how. Just you and I your starless eyes remain. Hip hip hooray for me. You talk to me. But would you kill me in my sleep. Lay still like the dead. From the razor to the rosary. We could lose ourselves and paint these walls in pitchfork red. I will avenge my ghost with every breath I take. I'm coming back from the dead. And I'll take you home with me. I'm taking back the life you stole. This whole you put me in…wasn't deep enough and I'm climbing out right now. You're running out of places. To hid from me. When you go, just know that I will remember you. If living was the hardest part, we'll then one day be together and in the end we'll fall apart, just as the leaves change in color. And then I will e with you. I will be there one last time now. When you go. Just know that I will remember you. I've lost my fear of falling…I will be with you.

Chapter 10

Chapter 11: soon, my dears…

Oh, WOW. This has to be the most dialogue in a chapter I've ever written. For you people wondering what this was: this is a mini-climax in itself. The last three sentences have the most meaning in the story. So yes, this story did serve a purpose. It showed what Danny turned into when he lost everyone. Yes.

Next up: Cemetery Drive. Have fun, dearies! I cannot wait until the last chapter! 'Tis my favorite chapter. And ending.


	11. Cemetery Drive

Welcome! This is being typed up on 2/6/06, the official one-month anniversary of my birthday! I kick ass, man! I'm getting my braces off really soon! I was supposed to get them off around Christmas, but we missed 2 appointments! YES! And if I still have to keep them on…I'm taking the colors black and neon green (I'm hinting at MimM here).

DISCLAIMER: I don't own DP or MCR.

RATED: T for violence, self-harm, and language.

Chapter 11

"Cemetery Drive"

He wasn't ready for it. This was his last moment before doing what he had to do. The last thing he knew that would prepare him for his decision. Clutching and pulling at his hair, Danny Fenton finally dressed decently, getting out of the clothes that he had been in for so long. The same clothes his wife, Star, had rejected. The same clothes with red liquid streaking down it.

He finally threw them out and put on a tuxedo. The same one Star couldn't stand to see him in. Nonetheless, he ran out the door desperately, making a turn. Within three minutes he was standing at the cemetery gates bathed in moonlight. When he was young, they looked eerie. Now, they looked familiar and comforting.

The memories flooding him, he kicked open the gates, grunting. He ran to the place he had so many times. By now, the path had been run in. He stood still in the graves, captured in a trance. All of a sudden, the memories could no longer suppress themselves and burst their boundaries.

Sam's grave was placed next to Jazz's. Sam's tombstone said 1993—2011. Danny mentally added, _February 3rd, 1993 to February 2nd, 2011. _Jazz's said 1991—2017. Danny added again, _January 6th, 1991 to April 14th, 2017. _

Although it had been two years since, he still could remember the day as if it literally just happened. From the door to the bottle to the bathroom. All of it.

12345678987654321

_The people mingled, the people chatted, they ate, they danced. Why it was at a mausoleum, though, was a question to be answered. Either way, the Fentons had attended, Danny and Jazz against their will. Neither were up to going to a funeral home where corpses where placed in the walls. Especially after Sam…_

_But somehow, someway, Danny managed to get hold of some cognac. Aged for twenty years. Jazz protested, but was forced to watch her brother get drunk. Soon enough, he was neither his old self, nor his new self. He was…crazy. He laughed at everything, and his face shone. But the thing was, the whole feeling was artificial. All the happiness, the joy, the loss of limb control…all a joke alcohol played on his mind. Jazz was forced to watch her brother act like a retard. _

_She sighed and went into the bathroom. Morons. She knew she shouldn't, but…the temptation…her mother was gone, and they were under the rule of Jack. Jack…without Maddie, he was crazy, abusive…he even smoked pot. He was an alcoholic. He was ruthless…and Jazz was governed by this tyrant. She wanted so badly to get away from him, from Danny's outbreaks, from all of this tragedy._

_And without even knowing it, her hand reached for the medicine cabinet. Aspirin. After taking all of the pills—fourteen—at once, she waited, staring at her tired, pale reflection. That was the last thing she saw. She had blacked out before she hit the floor._

_When they found her on the bathroom floor, Danny was still there, under the impression she was constipated. He had switched to tequila, then to vodka, then to sake. As the team came to investigate, the found the man on the floor helplessly, hiccupping and giggling._

"_Where is Jazmine Fenton?" one man asked slowly._

"_In the bathroom, constipated," he replied, just as slowly. The men raised their eyes and knocked down the door. They found Jazz on the ground, unconscious. _

12345678987654321

Danny never forgave himself for being drunk when it happened. The last thing he could do…was comfort her out of doing it.

A single tear rolled down his cheek, and he heard a leaf crunch behind him. He didn't bother asking, but did so in his mind. He still got a response.

"Hey, Danny," said a cracking voice gloomily. Female. Valerie. She was staring at Tucker's grave, just next to Jazz's. Danny's emotions raged out of control. She had done it! She had cost Tucker his whole life!

"Valerie!" he murmured angrily. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm—I'm paying my respects," she replied with dignity.

"You are the one who sent Tucker six feet under!"

"How do you know?"

"How do I know? _How do I know_? I was there when it happened, you little—!"

"Hey!" she yelled accusingly.

"You are the reason for _this_," he screamed, showing her his wrists. They were, by then, not even scarred, but red. Just red. Valerie was silent.

"I'm not happy about it either," she whispered. "It wasn't on purpose."

Danny didn't answer. He only looked at her expectantly.

"I liked him. A lot." Valerie turned to his grave. Danny sighed.

"Yeah. I liked Sam more than you could ever imagine."

The second Valerie had her back turned, Danny turned his hand intangible and stuck it into the dirt. He knew it wouldn't go in six feet, but he swore he could feel Sam's hand touch his. It was soft, tender, moisturized. He grabbed on a bit longer, but soon stood back up in fear that Valerie was watching.

"What are we going to do?" he sighed miserably. Valerie shook her head.

"I don't know. Join them?"

"I promised Sam. She told me not to do what she did."

"Yeah, I suppose so." Another sigh. "You do know we're slowly dying, right?" Danny nodded.

"And we won't stop crying for help. One way or another."

A long silence followed. The night air seemed to grow thick around them and the silence was now a liquid that suffocated them. At last, Danny whispered:

"Jazz used pills."

"What?"

"Jazz. She used pills that day."

"What do you mean?"

"We were at a party at a mausoleum. I don't know why. But I got hopelessly drunk. For almost an entire day. A day in which Jazz took fourteen aspirin pills and knocked herself out. By the time they found her, I was still drunk. She was on the bathroom floor, the bottle in her hand. I'll never forgive myself for it."

Valerie snatched a glance at her friend. She noticed he was looking at the horizon. Brought to her mind was an image of the ghost boy from before, staring into the night sky when he didn't budge or fight.

Either way, soon everyone was going to be in the same mentality as they were. And then…then the world would fall apart.

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO CEMETERY DRIVE:

This night. Walk the dead. In a solitary style and crash the cemetery gates. In the dress your husband hates. Way down. Mark the grave. Where the searchlights find us drinking by the mausoleum door. And they found you on the bathroom floor. I miss you so far. And the collision of your kiss that made it so hard. Back home. Off the run. Singing songs that make you slit your wrists. It isn't that much fun. Staring down a loaded gun. So I won't stop dying. Won't stop lying. If I want I'll keep on crying. Did you get what you deserve? Is this what you always want me for? I miss you.

Chapter 11

Chapter 12: urgh…

These are rough drafts. Obviously, you're reading the revised and edited version. I'm not going to do much…usually just spruce up a few concepts and replace a few words here and there, along with sentence structure, but I won't be doing elegant sentences. They don't really work for this piece. All of my work here so far is put up the second it's done. No editing or anything. It's just my style to write like it's a final draft.

Last chapter up next! OH YAH! My favorite one! But now: a shower and bed. But the 7th is a half-day, so I got some time. I just have a test, some English work to do, and…yah, that's 'bout it. That, and practice was cancelled for me.


	12. INTYWIDFAL

Preevyet! I'm back on 2/7 with the last chapter of TCfSR! The major climax! This has to be the longest chapter yet and I haven't even started! WHOO! Prepare for an ultimate surprise. That, and more. I'm gonna recap everything for you at the bottom. But so as to not ruin it for you, I'm going to warn you: DO NOT GO DOWN THERE! And as a side note: I may be Jewish, but I'm not really religious. However, I still believe in God, and I want to say that I do not mean any harm or anything insulting in this story.

Hurry up and read, because one month after it's posting, this whole thing will be taken down to be edited from your suggestions. It will be up, but after a long while. Why? A) Revision and editing. B) More people will be added by that later time, so they will get a chance to read it off the first page.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own DP or MCR. Doy.

RATED: T for language, violence, and d e a t h.

Chapter 12

"I Never Told You What I Did For A Living"

"_Time I get a real job…one I've been doing for years without even knowing it…and this time, it's going to be real."_

12345678987654321

Danny sighed exasperatedly; he needed to finish it off. His retirement job, and then he'd leave permanently. Finally see Sam. He wanted to leave his mark on Earth with his last person. This one was going down with him and there was nothing he could do.

Mikey Perez.

He was going down with him. After the high school years, Mikey had gone on to become a multi-business tycoon. Danny was on the bottom of the chain, and worked for him. However, he was mistreated under his rule; he was beaten repeatedly for his 'condition' and regarded as a measly peasant in a tyranny. Danny was getting his revenge. Mikey was going to learn his very last lesson tonight.

12345678987654321

"Where is he?" murmured Danny, intangible. He sighed; Mikey lived in the even bigger mansion across the street, then. Either way, though, Danny was going to get the job done. Suppressing old memories like he did for four years, he approached the mourning victim in the backyard, where Amity Cemetery was located. He was just like Danny…he lost a loved one, his wife…but Danny lost all he had…

At last, he silenced his memories and grinned. This was his last dying wish as the world around him had become a permanent shade of black and white…and it would all be back again with this last job. He approached Mikey stealthily, not making a single noise. He slowly reached him and grabbed his neck. As Mikey began to lose oxygen, his eyes grew wide and his face became blue, he strained out one single word.

"Why…?"

Danny answered that mentally, an unchanging expression on his face. _Because I did it before as a kid_. _Because I can't get a better job_. _Because I need to get rid of the bad guys. Because you mistreating me doesn't help._

But he didn't speak, and only stared at the red-haired man as he fell on top of his mother's grave. Danny's facial features may have spoken harshly, but his eyes, stuck in the past, said it all…and the man felt no disdain towards him in the last throes of his life. His eyes shut, and, with understanding, his life, his soul, was destroyed.

Danny felt immensely guilty. But…there was no other path for him. He graduated school, sure, but he didn't go on to college. There was no point to it; he had no willpower to learn, and with no willpower he couldn't do anything.

Danny did feel sorrow at times. This path he chose…was not the best one, and he knew this. But it was the only one he had left. All the others had been demolished. Danny did keep a book of all the names of his victims. He pulled it out. On page 278, he added the name _Mikey Perez_ underneath _Anthony Marshall_. He knew it wasn't a good memory, but it was the best he could do. These names…would be forgotten the very moment the book would be lost. Buried with the single corpse that would receive no remorse.

Many times in his life, in his isolation, he would imagine red all over his body. The blood of his victims. Many times he came back to the alley he called home covered in blood. Occasionally they put up a fight. And occasionally, another quarter of his sheets would be in red. No matter how hard he tried, the stains stayed, just like the memory of the victim would be imprinted in a loved one's mind.

He used to be religious. Used to be. He turned against it, forgetting it all. Revenge was a more powerful force than religion. Praying, he knew, would not get him money and food. Praying would only give him false hope, as God had long forgotten casualties like Danny.

The last thing that this God had given him as compensation was a picture of Star. It didn't help that much, but it was the one last thing he had to preserve of anyone he knew. Every night, he fell asleep holding this picture with an unbreakable grip, falling into a blissful, dreamless sleep where he felt no guilt and lived with Sam.

In the graveyard, Danny was brought out of his revelations, eyes on the body, by a voice. The body still had the same expression on its face: disbelieving, wondering, appalling, and (the one thing in that face that made Danny turn away in horror) understanding.

"Sad how everyone leaves you, isn't it?" sighed a voice. Danny recognized it. His head shot up, his eyes cold and hard, but still blue.

"Vlad," he acknowledged. However, it wasn't an acknowledgement of superiority. Just a notice to tell him that Danny was paying attention even when he wasn't worth it.

"I know for a fact that you loved Sam." Danny's eyes hardened more. "It's a shame she was killed."

"You were behind it!" he yelled uncontrollably.

"Why, Danny!" gasped Vlad in mock horror, his arm on his chest. "I'm appalled you would say that!"

"Come off it! I know what's going on!"

"Why, Daniel, how could you say that? I don't have a clue of what's going on!"

Both fell silent as tension grew to the point neither could stand it anymore. It seemed like the other was just about to attack when they were both waiting for the worst from each other.

"I also know for a fact that you loved Valerie after Sam." Danny stayed silent. "That's very rude, you know. To turn on the one you love. Even if she did die." Danny could tell he was talking about his mother.

"Shutup," he muttered quietly. Vlad must have not heard it because he continued.

"It's a shame, however, that she's gone, too. And Valerie…tsk, she was your fault. Your responsibility." Danny's eyes were as hard as diamond, and just as sharp if not sharper.

"And then you went with Star. And she's on your hands, too. By the way, Danny, what page are you on now? I think it's 278 with two columns a page, 40 names a column. That would equal 22,240 people." Vlad clucked his tongue. "That's a lot of people Danny. In fact, I would bet you all of your fortune from this business that more than half of this cemetery is occupied by people killed by you."

Danny knew this was true; in fact, they had expanded this cemetery to three times its original size to hold the people. But he wasn't about to speak.

"For all of the people in this cemetery, I think it would be a favor…to add one last person. Do you know who that one person is?" Vlad said softly. Danny could guess.

"You."

Two loud shots sounded through the air. All Danny had the time to do was turn around, but it didn't help. The bullets sliced through the air and cut into his skin. Blood streaming out of his neck, his last dying thoughts were that he would finally be happy with all his family and friends up there. With a loud screech, the almighty master of life and death fell to the ground, never to wake up again.

12345678987654321

LYRICS TO I NEVER TOLD YOU WHAT I DID FOR A LIVING:

Stay out of the light. Or the photograph that I gave you. You can say a prayer if you need to. Or just get in line and I'll grieve you. Can I see you? Alone. Another night and I'll see you. Another night and I'll be you. Some other way to continue. To hide my face. Another knife in my hands. A stain that never comes off the sheets. Clean me off. I'm so dirty, babe. The kind of dirty where the water never cleans off the clothes. I keep a book of the names and those. Only go so far. 'Til you bury them. So far and down we go. Touched by angels, though. I fall out of grace. I did it all so maybe. I'd live this every day. Down we go. Well never again. And never again. They gave us two shots to the back of the head. And we're. All. Dead. Now.

_**End**_

Oooh…anticlimactic. Now, for the recap: Vlad wanted to get rid of Danny, but noticed a trend in the victories. Danny won because he always went in headfirst. So he decided to do this indirectly and discreetly. All he had to do were a few things. The main thing, though, was just get Tucker into the accident, and from there everyone spiraled downwards.

And why Danny went through so many phases after Tucker: he was enraged because it was his best friend. But prison changed him completely. Then, he realized he loved Sam and after chapters 5 and 6, becomes extremely depressed because both of his friends aren't too well. Then, when Tucker gets out, life spirals out even more because of his 'problem'. Then, when Valerie was about to get rid of Tucker, he had to save Tucker because if not, he would lose them both and that was the last thing he wanted. And as a note: this plan is really ingenious. I mean, Vlad barely had to do anything. All he had to do was get Tucker in the hospital, kidnap Sam and release her, and just shoot a really depressed Danny. Well, chapters 2 and 3 were really just him acting. He was never really crazy; he just wanted to make Danny funked out.

Yeah. And I just got my appointment. Ack. I'm officially the human magnet. They gave me two springs, a new wire, a twisty wire thing, and four hooks. Hell, there was so much metal they couldn't even put on the rubber bands on some teeth! But I did get black and green. And good news: I'm really close to getting these damn things off! One month and a week to my next appointment!


End file.
